No. 4-Seeded Owls Advance to American Semifinals on Wild Walk-Off

Thursday, May 7

Greenville, N.C.

6 p.m.

Florida Atlantic

34-19

No. 5 Charlotte

32-26

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Charlotte	0	0	0	1	1	2	0	4	6	1
Fla. Atlantic	0	0	0	0	0	4	1	5	7	0

Softball celebrating with Jesiana Mora after hitting the walk-off RBI single against No. 5 Charlotte in the American Conference Quarterfinals

Photo by: Andy Mead/American Conference

No. 4-Seeded Owls Advance to American Semifinals on Wild Walk-Off

5/7/2026 11:07:00 PM | Softball

Box Score Photo Gallery

By: Ben Paul

GREENVILLE, N.C. – Senior third baseman Jesiana Mora delivered the walk-off RBI single for the No. 4-seeded Florida Atlantic softball team, which overcame a 4-0 deficit for the 5-4 win over No. 5 Charlotte in the American Championship Quarterfinals on Thursday evening.

What began as a pitcher's duel turned into a comeback to remember. With their season on the line, the Owls (34-19) trailed the 49ers (32-26) 4-0 through five innings but piled on enough runs in the sixth to tie the game. Mora was the hero of the night with her game-winning RBI in the bottom of the seventh.

Senior pitcher Autumn Courtney made the start and was relieved by graduate Ainsley Lambert, who earned the win to improve to 4-4 on the season.

THE BEGINNING
The two teams traded 1-2-3 innings in the first. Sophomore Lily Holtje was the first baserunner with a two-out walk in the bottom of the second.

Three 49er walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases and scored the game's first run in the top of the fourth before Courtney's second strikeout limited the damage and still no hits had been recorded by either team.

THE TURNING POINT
Charlotte recorded the game's first hit in the top of the fifth and soon scored again on an RBI single to left field to put the Owls down 2-0. Sophomore second baseman Destiny Johns came up with the Owls' first hit in the bottom of the fifth but was left stranded. The 49ers tacked on a two-run homer in the top of the sixth for a 4-0 lead.

The remarkable comeback was staged by Florida Atlantic in the bottom of the sixth. The Owls loaded the bases with two walks and a hit, all of whom were cleared by a three-run single from senior catcher Chloe Yeatts to cut the deficit to 4-3. Holtje then recorded a base hit to center field to score the tying run.

THE FINISH
FAU's defense did its job in the top of the seventh, stranding two Charlotte runners.

Junior outfielder Ciara Gibson opened the bottom half of the inning with a base hit, followed by redshirt junior centerfielder Kylie Hammonds drawing a walk. With two on, Mora's line drive to left-center was deep enough for the walk-off victory.

QUOTABLE

Postgame with @CoachJordanFAU #WIP🏝️pic.twitter.com/83DvSqcTnj
— Florida Atlantic Softball (@FAUSoftball) May 8, 2026

NOTES/NOTABLE

Florida Atlantic has reached the American Semifinals for three consecutive years.
Mora grows her team lead in RBI to 41.
Yeatts is now second place with 36 runs driven in this season.
With a hit and walk on the night, Hammonds has reached base in 10 straight games.
Lambert allowed no runs in two innings, dropping her ERA to 2.52.

GALLERY

Gallery: (5-7-2026) SB American Quarterfinals vs Charlotte

UP NEXT
The Owls' postseason journey continues on Friday against No. 1 seed South Florida with a spot in the American Conference Championship Final on the line. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. on ESPN+.

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