Florida Atlantic University Athletics
Florida Atlantic
12-6
UMBC
6-7
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UMBC | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 0 |
| Florida Atlantic | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 9 | 2 |
Owls Rally in Extra Innings to Stun UMBC
3/14/2026 12:11:00 AM | Baseball
THE BEGINNING
A Michael Perazza sacrifice fly opened the scoring in the first inning, and Jayden Harriel doubled the lead in the second with his first career home run to make it 2-0. The teams traded the lead back and forth from that point forward. UMBC went ahead 3-2 in the third before the Owls tied it in the fourth and regained the lead 4-3 in the fifth.
THE TURNING POINT
UMBC scored one in each of the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to lead 6-4. The Owls went into the bottom of the ninth, needing two to extend the game. After a leadoff walk, back-to-back fielder's choice groundouts had the home side down to its final out. Perazza was the Owls' last hope. Facing a 1-2 count, the redshirt sophomore got just the pitch he was looking for and launched a no-doubter over the wall in right centerfield to tie the game and send it to extra innings.
THE FINISH
After a scoreless 10th, UMBC went back in front with a bases-loaded, three-RBI double from catcher Derek Paris. Now trailing 9-6, the Owls would once again need to rally in the bottom of the inning.
Ward lined a one-out single off the glove of the UMBC third baseman to spark the rally again. The Owls then drew three straight two-out walks to force home a run. With the bases still loaded, Marshall Lipsey was hit by a pitch to force in another run. Suddenly, it was 9-8, and the game-winning run was in scoring position. This time, Martinez was the last hope. Down 1-2 in the count, the Owls' second baseman lined a single to left field. Perazza scored the tying run, and Brando Leroux followed close behind, sliding headfirst into home for the walk-off.
QUOTABLE
Head Coach John McCormack
Postgame with @FAUCoachMac #WIP🏝️ pic.twitter.com/uaEmVUX0tO
— Florida Atlantic Baseball (@FAUBaseball) March 14, 2026
THE BATS
- The Owls finished with nine hits, led by two each by Martinez, Perazza, Nick Romano, and Ian Collier.
- Martinez's game-winning hit extended his team-lead in RBI to 14.
- Collier also doubled and drove in a run.
- Romano reached base four times with two singles and two walks.
THE ARMS
- James Litman started and completed 5.1 innings. He allowed four runs on seven hits.
- Zach Kilby pitched 2.2 innings and struck out four. He allowed two runs, one of which was earned.
- Brayden Gilson completed a scoreless ninth.
- Kyzer Smith held the Retrievers in check in the 10th before being tagged for all three runs in the 11th.
- Bryan Boully relieved Smith and recorded the last out in the 11th. The fifth-year senior was credited with the win.
WHAT'S NEXT
Game two has been moved up to a noon start on Saturday to avoid potential weather later in the day.
FOLLOW THE OWLS
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Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Boully, Bryan (2-1)
L: Boice, Aidan (1-1)
Batting:
2B: Paris, Derek 1 ; Droz, Sergio 1 ; Okojie, Ehi 2 ; Carpenter, Jesiah 1
HR: Orr, Danny 1
RBI: Orr, Danny 1 ; Paris, Derek 3 ; Wyatt, Danny 1 ; Okojie, Ehi 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Mascuilli, Anthony 1 ; Orr, Danny 1 ; Eddington, Kyle 1 ; Paris, Derek 1 ; Wyatt, Danny 1 ; Melton, Dylan 2 ; Carpenter, Jesiah 1 ; Bagania, Jacob 1
HBP: Mascuilli, Anthony 2 ; Carpenter, Jesiah 1 ; Henderson, Brooks 1
Batting:
2B: Collier, Ian 1
HR: Perazza, Michael 1 ; Harriel, Jayden 1
RBI: Leroux, Brando 2 ; Perazza, Michael 3 ; Collier, Ian 1 ; Harriel, Jayden 1 ; Martinez, John 2 ; Lipsey, Marshall 1
SH: Perazza, Michael 1 ; Martinez, John 1
SF: Leroux, Brando 1 ; Perazza, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Patten, Brett 1 ; Boylston, Kyle 2 ; Leroux, Brando 1 ; Perazza, Michael 2 ; Romano, Nick 2 ; Ward, Patrick 1 ; Harriel, Jayden 1
HBP: Patten, Brett 1 ; Lipsey, Marshall 1
