Provided UTSA vs FIU game concludes tonight (1-0 UTSA Bot 3rd & nothing on radar to prohibit) #FAU will face UAB Fri @ 12:00 PM EST #GoOwls!

— FAU Owl's Nest (@TheOwlsNest_ITB) May 22, 2015

What:      #2 FAU (39-15) vs. #6 UAB (31-24)

When:      Fri May 22nd at 12:00 PM

Where:    Pete Taylor Park


Video:    Here *FEE

Audio:    Here

Stats:     Here


Projected Starting Pitchers

FAU - RHP Kyle Miller (6-3, 3.80 ERA)
UAB - RHP Alex Luna (3-3, 3.82 ERA)


Notes

Florida Atlantic posted its first ever win in a C-USA Baseball Championship, knocking off Old Dominion, 6-4 in game three on Wednesday. Roman Collins singled, doubled and drove in a pair of runs for the Owls.

UAB endured three lightning delays and a suspension to upset host SMiss 4-0 in Thursday morning's resumption of Wednesday's day one finale. This marked the third time that a lower seed prevailed.

FAU took two-of-three against the Blazers in Birmingham during the regular season, outscoring them 23-12 overall. Alex Luna, who will get the call on the mound for UAB Friday, was roughed up for seven runs off 11 hits in his 4.2 innings of work.

FIU mercied UTSA 15-5 in 7 innings last night. Today's schedule:


12:00 PM EDT Game 8: UAB vs FAU
4:00 PM EDT Game 9: UTSA vs MTSU - a repeat of Game 1, which UTSA won
7:30 PM EDT Game 10: Southern Miss vs loser of UAB vs FAU

It can be argued that yesterday's rain delay provided some favor to FIU in that it off today. Also, UAB's closer had just finished 2.1 IP yesterday morning, and now had a night of rest. Of course, we had a day off yesterday, and, if not for the suspension of Wednesday's game, UAB's close would have had a night's rest anyway. In short, can't complain about the rain other than that the outfield is a bit soggy. The infield, though, has been in great shape. Hattiesburg airport reports 0.89 inches of rain yesterday. Of course, it reported 0.20 on Wednesday. Maybe they should put the rain gauge outside.

Hattiesburg forecast for 1st pitch at noon EDT: 69°, partly sunny, wind out of the NE (in from center field) at 7, gusting to 9. There is, allegedly, a very low chance of rain today - just like yesterday.

Nailed it!  Rice is at .561 and 35th in RPI, 5/10,000ths ahead of 36th NC State.

Rice had an RPI of .564 coming into today. I have them presently at .561 after today’s action. Today that would be 35-36.

— Mike Brown (@MLBBoca) May 22, 2015

Did Lashley get benched or is he hurt?

About 15 minutes from first pitch. Owls switching their announced pitching rotation and inserting RHP Drew Jackson against the Blazers.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@TheOwlsNest_ITB) May 22, 2015

Starting Lineups:

UAB: CF Davis, RF Gum, LF Schalk, C Tresgallo, DH Lau, 1b Mims, 3b Vincent, ss Smith, 2b Morse. RHP Luna will start for the Blazers.

FAU: 2b Kerr, LF Endris, RF Sanger, 3b Santiago, CF Collins, 1b Puerta, DH Dicks, ss Chatham, c Miller. RHP Jackson will take the hill for the Owls.

DeltAlumnus said

Did Lashley get benched or is he hurt?

Posted On: May 22nd 2015, 11:39 AM #345469

No, coaches decision based on match-ups and performance at the plate.

Top 1: Luna tosses a strike to Kerr and we're underway in Hattiesburg.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@TheOwlsNest_ITB) May 22, 2015

Mid 1: #FAU gets a hit from Kerr, but a double play disrupts a productive inning. Scoreless game with Jackson taking the mound.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@TheOwlsNest_ITB) May 22, 2015

End 1: Jackson gets through the half inning on just 7 pitches! Collins will lead off for the #Owls in the 2nd in a scoreless game.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@TheOwlsNest_ITB) May 22, 2015