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SERIES THREAD: FAU vs. LA Tech April 12th-14th, 2019

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What: Florida Atlantic (29-3) v. Lousiana Tech (22-10)

When: Friday, April 12th @ 6:30pm
           Saturday, April 13th @ 4:00pm
           Sunday, April 14th @ Noon

Where: FAU Baseball Stadium, Boca Raton, FL

Video: CUSA.tv

Live Stats: Here

LA Tech Team Site: Here

Series Record: FAU and LA Tech have only met 5 times in program history, with the Owls holding a 3-2 advantage.

Projected Starting Pitchers:

Friday
FAU-Blake Sanderson (7-0, 3.29)
LA Tech-Matt Miller (4-0, 3.45)

Saturday
FAU-Mike Ruff (4-0, 5.44)
LA Tech-Logan Robbins (2-2, 7.32)

Sunday
FAU-TBA
LA Tech-Logan Bailey (4-3, 6.31)


FAU at a glance:

The Owls are coming into this weekend’s series riding a seven game win streak and in sole possession of the top spot in C-USA. FAU has yet to drop a conference series after sweeping the 49ers in Charlotte last weekend.

John McCormack's side are ranked #24 in Collegiate Baseball's Poll and #27 in the NCBWA Poll. Winners 17 of their last 19, FAU has turned the corner from their lack-luster 3-6 start.

This mid-season turnaround is mainly due to the bats waking up. FAU currently leads the conference in batting avg (.301), slugging pct (.456), hits (347), RBI’s (209), and home runs (32).

Owls' ace Blake Sanderson will look to get his eighth win in his ninth start after a 6.2 IP victory last Friday at Charlotte.

Ruff has situated himself nicely as FAU's Saturday SP, having yet to lose a game since his transition from the #3 slot.

Following this series, the ballclub will be on the road for the next 5 games, which includes two out of conference games against UCF and UF, broken up by some conference play in a series against WKU.

LA Tech at a glance:

LA Tech is coming off an 11-3 win against in-state rival, UL Lafayette, as they head to Boca Raton to play the Owls for the first time in a regular season match-up since 2014. The Bulldogs currently sit in third place in C-USA, behind pre-season favorite Southern Miss,

Heading into this weekend, the Bulldogs will have won seven straight conference games, which includes a pair of back-to-back weekend sweeps.

Although this team has had a very good season, the only thing the Bulldogs out-rank the Owls in is runs scored. That being said, FAU trails by just a single run, 224-223 respectively.

Moreover, the Owls and Bulldogs both have two of the best closers in the conference. LA Tech RHP Braxton Smith picked up C-USA Pitcher of the Week honors with three straight saves against UTSA.

Currently, LA Tech are considered one of the "first clubs out" for making an NCAA Tournament Regional by multiple publications. After this weekend, LA Tech will play UL-Monroe for their mid-week game, and will then host Marshall at home for some more conference play.
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First pitch is moments away! It should definitely be a very good series, as LA Tech is the Owls' toughest matchup thus far. Let's go Owls!!

 
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The Bulldogs scored 1 in the 1st, and although the Owls haven't put any up yet, they certainly are giving LA Tech a run for their money defensively. FAU has held them to the single run through the 3rd.

 
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FAU came back in the bottom of the 4th with an RBI single from Gunnar Lambert, but were quickly shut down after a 3-run shot by LA Tech early in the 5th.

 
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Do the Owls have a rally in their bones?! A solo home run from Mitchell Hartigan puts FAU back in it in the bottom of the 7th inning.

 
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Senior Richie Nizza comes in to pinch hit in a high stress situation. Nizza was put in a similar situation this past weekend in Charlotte and really delivered. Let's see if he can do it again!

 
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It was close, but the Owls couldn't seal the deal in the 8th. The team looks to take this game heading into the 9th despite being down by just 2 runs. Francisco Urbaez will lead off.

 
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Came out a little lame tonight.  If we dont win this series it's time to start prepping for the conference tourney because that will be our only hope at postseason this year.  
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A loss is never fun, especially one that felt like they could've taken it. But these things happen, and I'm sure that the team will be back tomorrow, ready to fight.

 
UPDATED SCHEDULE: 2019 FAU Baseball Schedule - FAU Owl's Nest
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The No. 24 Florida Atlantic University baseball team left 12 runners on base, with tying runs either on base or at the plate in the last two innings, falling to Louisiana Tech Friday night in the opening game of three, 5-3.

“Good Friday night game, credit to LA Tech. As I told the team, we had plenty of opportunities and we weren’t able to get that hit or two that we needed; they did. They got first and second, got the three-run homer and that was the difference in the game and we weren’t able to do the same thing. Back at it tomorrow, it’s the first time we’ve been in this situation (falling on a Friday night in conference), guys need to respond.”

The Bulldogs (23-10, 9-4 C-USA) struck first, in the first, on an infield single with two outs to score a run from second. Despite having runners on in each off the first three innings, all under two outs, it took until the fourth for FAU to scrape one in, on a two-out single by Gunnar Lambert to plate Bobby Morgensen. The aforementioned three-run home run came off the bat of Mason Mallard in the fifth, giving LA Tech a 4-1 lead.

A Mitchell Hartigan home run for FAU (23-10, 11-2 C-USA) in the seventh was immediately answered by the Bulldogs with a solo shot of their own in the eighth. The Owls’ best comeback opportunity came in the home eighth, loading the bases with one out. But two strikeouts (sandwiched around a walk to force in a run) limited the damage, and an inning-opening walk in the ninth got no further than first.

Game two, and the attempt to knot the series up for FAU, begins at 4 :00 PM Saturday, with the pitching matchup of Mike Ruff and Logan Robbins.

FAU Baseball SID Jonathan Fraysure
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