Owls Outlast FIU in 11 Innings

Saturday, March 7

Miami, Fla.

6 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

8-6

FIU

7-9

Fla. Atlantic

FIU

Photo by: Ben Tate

3/8/2026 12:16:00 AM | Baseball

Box Score

MIAMI – Florida Atlantic baseball (8-6) defeated FIU (7-9) 5-3 in 11 innings on Saturday night in Miami. The Owls have clinched the weekend series and will go for the sweep on Sunday afternoon.

THE BEGINNING
FIU opened the scoring in the first inning, but senior starter Tyler Murphy dug in and pitched out of a bases-loaded jam to limit the damage. The FAU offense tied the game in the third inning on a Nick Romano RBI single.

A Panthers solo home run in the fifth made it 2-1 before the Owls took their first lead in the sixth. Brett Patten led off with a single and stole second. He went to third on a base hit by John Martinez before scoring the tying run on an Ian Collier sacrifice fly. Marshall Lipsey then cashed in Martinez with an RBI single. FIU tied the game at 3-3 in the eighth inning with a triple followed by a sacrifice fly.

THE TURNING POINT
Florida Atlantic had first and second with one out in the ninth but did not score. In the bottom of the inning, the Panthers loaded the bases with one out. Needing just a fly ball to the outfield to score the winning run. Owls' reliever Kyzer Smith recorded back-to-back strikeouts to escape the jam and send the game to extra innings.

THE FINISH
After a scoreless 10th inning, the Owls regained the lead in the 11th. Lipsey's fourth hit of the night sparked the rally with one out. Patrick Ward drew a walk, and Romano was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Brando Leroux hit a chopper to third, and the throw home was dropped by FIU's catcher, allowing Lipsey across for the go-ahead run. Another run would later score on a wild pitch.

FIU put two on with two outs in the bottom of the 11th before Bryan Boully shut down the Panthers' comeback attempt with a game-ending strikeout.

QUOTABLE
Head Coach John McCormack

Postgame with @FAUCoachMac #WIP🏝️ pic.twitter.com/f6e7MRDUwO
— Florida Atlantic Baseball (@FAUBaseball) March 8, 2026

THE BATS

Lipsey tied his career high with four hits. He also scored two runs, stole a base, and recorded an RBI.
Ward doubled, singled, and walked. Romano singled twice.
Jayden Harriel registered his first collegiate hit, a single in the sixth inning.

THE ARMS

Murphy pitched four solid innings with four strikeouts and two runs allowed before handing it off to the bullpen.
Zach Kilby allowed one run on two hits with four strikeouts in four innings.
Smith earned the win (2-0) with 2.2 scoreless frames. He struck out three.
Boully faced just one batter in the 11th. He recorded his third save of the season.

WHAT'S NEXT
The Owls will look for their second consecutive weekend sweep on Sunday with a noon first pitch at the FAU Baseball Stadium.