Series Thread: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
Posted
#287491
(In Topic #40903)
Administrator
Member since 2006
What: Florida International (31-21, 15-12) at Florida Atlantic (29-20, 17-8)
When: Thu, May 17th at 6:30 PM
Sat, May 18th at 6:30 PM
Sun, May 19th at 1:00 PM
Where: FAU Baseball Stadium
Live Stats Here
Series: The Owls lead 45-43 overall. In the last meeting, FAU defeated FIU 9-3 in Miami.
Projected Starting Pitchers:
Friday: FAU - RHP Ryan Garton (8-3, 3.29 ERA)
FIU - RHP Eddy Pidermann (8-3, 3.73 ERA)
Saturday: FAU - RHP Kevin Alexander (5-1, 2.66 ERA)
FIU - RHP Mike Ellis (4-3, 3.47 ERA
Sunday: FAU - LHP Austin Gomber (3-4, 3.90 ERA)
FIU - LHP R.J. Fondon (6-6, 5.32 ERA)
The Owls had a disappointing series against UALR, dropping two-of-three (1-4, 2-9, 12-8) this past weekend. However, they got some help from incoming visitor Florida International, who took two-of-three from Arkansas State to lessen the impact.
Looking for a strong rebound, they are hopeful to keep command of a number one seed in the upcoming Sun Belt Tournament, and also pick up Coach John McCormack's second regular season championship in the process.
The Panthers will travel to Boca Raton spurned having taken a 3-0 swathing by FAU (1-5, 5-9, 3-9) at FIU Baseball Stadium back in March to open league play. They trail the Owls by just two games in the standings, although win percentage lightens the disparity in favor of Florida Atlantic. Even if FIU took all three contests, they still can't top the Florida Atlantic in the standings.
The bottom line for this weekend is winning, bounced against what Arkansas State accomplishes against UALR. The Red Wolves will be on the road, where they are 6-12. Meanwhile the Owls are 17-9 at FAU Baseball Stadium.
Should the Owls win two, they will lock up the number one seed for the 2012 SBC Tournament, and at least a share of the regular season title. Here's how the two match head-to-head in potential outcomes and percentages attached:
Result SBC Win %
Owls go 3-0 20-8 0.714
Owls go 2-1 19-9 0.679
Owls go 1-2 18-10 0.643
Owls go 0-3 17-11 0.607
ASU go 3-0 19-9 0.679
ASU go 2-1 18-10 0.643
ASU go 1-2 17-11 0.607
ASU go 0-3 16-12 0.571
Florida Atlantic needs to pick it up at the plate though. The Panthers have the best team offense in the conference (.296) and have swatted the second most homers (42). The Owls are now down to just one batter over .300 in Mikel Albaladejo (photo), who is sporting a .356 success rate (3rd SBC), but do have five others close by in Alex Hudak, Mike Spano, Corey Keller, Kyle Newton and Mark Nelson.
FIU Senior OF Pablo Bermundez was this week’s National Hitter of the Week for the Panthers, and also nabbed Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week honors in the process after posting solid numbers to the tune of a .588 average, 11 runs scored, and a pair of long balls to boot.
3B Mike Martinez is pacing the conference with a .388 mark and 44 RBI, and junior Jabari Henry's 12 homers are good enough for a tie at 2nd in the standings. OF Nathan Burns has nine triples for 2012.
FIU blasted out a season high in runs behind a 16-5 mercy rules of the Red Wolves on Sunday, eclipsing the 15 run mark set just four days earlier with a 15-3 romp past Bethune Cookman in Daytona.
On the hill, FIU enjoys almost a half run edge in team ERA with a 3.98 mark to that of 4.40 showing by Florida Atlantic.
Saturday's contest will be the final home contest for the Owls' 2012 senior class. Included are 2B/C Albaladejo, LHP Ahmed Garcia, RHP Ryan Garton, LHP Josh Gonzaga, OF Hudak, and RHP Mike Tomasi.
Weather could once again be a factor, with showers forecast at some point each day of action for the series.
Looking ahead, the 2012 Sun Belt Tournament will be held May 23-27 in Bowling Green, Kentucky.
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Re: Series Preview: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
90% chance of showers today.
Posted
VIP DONOR
Member since 2005
Re: Series Preview: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
Series Thread: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Re: Series Preview: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
TeamBeer said
We'll be lucky if we get one game in this weekend.
Just as long as we win it!
Posted
First Flight
Member since 2010
Re: Series Preview: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
Posted
VIP DONOR
Member since 2009
Re: Series Preview: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
HooterHater said
Who's going? I'll be there. Short trip from Boynton. I'll miss this rivalry in all sports if FIU decides to no longer schedule FAU following next year. I like having a rival so close.
I'm pretty sure that the one sport that we can guarantee still playing games against each other is baseball. We always play state teams in baseball so I'm sure this will stay alive. Only games will be weekdays instead of weekends.
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Re: Series Thread: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
HooterHater said
Short trip from Boynton.
What part of Boynton?
I have family out west…nice area…
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Re: Series Thread: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
FINAL
FIU 2 FAU 12
ERROR: A link was posted here (img) but it appears to be a broken link.
The rain held back on Thursday night at FAU Stadium, but the Owls’ bats did not, moving them one step closer to a Sun Belt Championship behind a 12-2 win over Florida International.
FAU tied their season high with 16 hits in the affair, and scored 12 runs for the second consecutive time.
Panther starter Eddy Pidemann (L 8-4) lasted just one inning after Florida Atlantic belted out seven hits to take a 6-0 lead during their first trip to the plate.
Alex Hudak cashed in the first two off a homer to right field scoring Mike Albaladejo before Mike Spano, Geoff Jimenez, and Nathan Pittman (3-for-5) connected for an RBI each. Jimenez later rounded out the half dozen, reaching home on a throwing error.
Florida International’s Omar Aguirre made it a 6-1 contest in the top of the third with a homerun to right, but the miscues would continue for the Panthers (31-22, 15-13).
A bobbled ball by 3B Nathan Burns in the bottom of the fourth allowed Albaladejo to cross home before Kyle Newton’s (3-of-4) single increased the deficit to 8-1, driving in Mitch Morales. Another error in the fifth saw Jimenez (3-for-4, 2RBI) score his second run.
The Owls (30-20, 18-8) had another productive at bat in the sixth, pushing the lead to 12-1 after trio of scores off FIU reliever Jose Lazaro who issued a walk, passed ball, wild pitch, and three hits in the frame.
Jake Meiers, who stepped in for Garton (W 9-3), gave up the Panthers’ second run via a solo shot by Mike Martinez in the eighth before setting the side down in order thereafter to effectively close things out.
FIU loaded the bases in the top of the sixth for their most significant threat, but Ryan Garton (7IP, 5H, 1R, 2K) worked out of the matter by enticing Jabari Henry into a fly ball on just one pitch.
Martinez paced the Panthers with a 2-of-4 showing and was the only player to see more than one hit.
The teams will meet again on Friday night for game two. The first pitch is scheduled for 6:30 p.m., weather permitting.
Posted
Wise Owl
Member since 2006
Re: Series Thread: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
My two favorite teams are FAU, and who ever is beating FIU!
Posted
Administrator
Member since 2006
Re: Series Thread: Florida International @ FAU - May 17-19, 2012
Jab979 said
Magic # 1 is down to 1? yes?
No…at least not for an outright Championship.
ASU downed UALR 8-5 tonight.
If ASU sweeps and we only win 2, we tie…no outright. Still some matters left to be decided on that plain…
However, if we win again, then yes, we secure at least a "shared" Title.
;D
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