Series Thread: Toledo vs FAU - Mar 10th - 12th, 2017




What:      Toledo (1-12) at Florida Atlantic (8-4-1)

When:     Fri, Mar 10th at 6:30 PM
                Sat, Mar 11th at 4:00 PM
                Sun, Mar 12th at 12:00 PM


Where:    FAU Baseball Stadium

Stream:   CUSA.tv *FEE

Stats:       Here


Series:

Despite being outscored 14-12 over the three games collectively, Florida Atlantic leads 2-1.


Projected Starting Pitchers

Sat:       TOL - LHP Steven Calhoun (0-0, 2.25 ERA)
             FAU - RHP Alex House (1-1, 7.36 ERA)

Sat:       TOL - LHP Ross Achter (1-2, 3.21 ERA)
             FAU - LHP Jake Miednik (2-1, 3.86 ERA)

Sun:      TOL - RHP Sam Shutes (0-3, 5.17 ERA)
             FAU - LHP Nick Swan (1-0, 6.00 ERA)


Game Notes

Owls

FAU comes into the weekend looking for their fourth win in a row. Last weekend they picked up a series win over Illinois overcoming a 16-4 loss in game two with a commanding 16-2 victory in game three. That started the beginning of an offensive outpouring.

On Tuesday the team visited Bethune Cookman for a 12-6 win where Gary Mattis showed his prowess at the plate by smacking a 4-for-5, eight RBI performance. They followed that with an 11-3 victory over Maine to improve to 9-4 against the Black Bears all-time.

In the last three outings, the squad has outscored opponents by a combined margin of 39-11. Mattis is one of two Owls who has hit at a .667 clip during that span being joined by Sean Labsan. Seven more Owls were above .300 for the trio of contests, including Tyler Frank who remains second nationally in hits.

The 14 FAU pitchers that have appeared in the last three games have combined to hold opposing batters to a .250 average and pitched to an ERA of 3.00. They have 26 strikeouts in the 27 innings, giving up less than a hit per inning (26) and walking just seven batters.

This will be the last non conference series for Florida Atlantic before C-USA play begins next weekend when the Owls host Middle Tennessee.


Rockets

Unlike the Owls, Toledo will be looking to snap a seven game slide. With an overall mark of 1-12, their lone win so far this year was a 6-4 nudge past Richmond back on February 24th.

In for Spring Break in the Sunshine State, they head into Boca Raton having dropped mid-week affairs to Boston College (6-5) and Northeastern (9-2) after being were swept by South Florida last weekend (4-3, 12-3, 6-3).

The main problem facing the Rockets is a .203 team batting average. With just freshman infielder Malave Bettinger checking in at .318 the rest of the squad is hovering at around .250, and two starters are below .175.

Toledo will run out their trio of senior starting pitchers Steven Calhoun, Ross Achter and Sam Shutes. Calhoun leads the group with a 2.25 ERA in 16.0 innings. Achter recorded the win against Richmond and tops the staff with 17 strikeouts.

Toledo was picked to finish 6th our of the eleven team MAC league members in the 2017 preseason coaches poll.

We've got a ball game at FAU Stadium. Alex House is doing relatively well through five innings, allowing two runs on six hits, but the Owls bats are flatter than they have been as of late.

Florida Atlantic has just three hits, however three runs to go with it.

Toledo took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 2nd before returning favor from the mound to give the Owls a pair in their turn via a hit-by-pitch and passed ball.

Eric Rivera then drove in Aldrich DeJongh from second to put the home team on top in the fifth.

TOL 2  FAU 3

Top 6th

House completes his sixth and final inning of work and is in line for the win should the Owls hold on.

Final line: 6IP, 6H, 2R, 2K.

Mattis singles for the Owls in bottom half of the 6th but is left on base.

Mark Nowatnick now on the mound.

TOL 2  FAU 3

Top 7th

Nowatnick lasts just 2/3 of an inning as the Rockets knot it up 3-3 thanks to some good base running, a sacrifice fly, and a throw to home that was off the mark.

Weston Clemente checks in on the hill for the Owls and finishes off the Toledo side with a strikeout.

TOL 3  FAU 3

Stretch time.

Ugh the bullpen making a game out of this.  I've gotten too spoiled of of us getting a lead and not having to worry it in past years.  Toledo is very bad.  

Kevin Abraham doubles to give the Owls their fifth hit on the evening but he is also left on.

Coach McCormack taps the pen again, this time for Drew Peden.

Top 8th

TOL 3  FAU 3

Peden works out of a jam to leave two Rockets on the bags before the Owl offense takes off for SEVEN runs in the bottom of the 8th.

David Miranda drives in the go-ahead run, Gary Mattis then swats a two run blast to left, and Tyler Frank completes the lucky number with a GRAND SLAM.

Top 9th for the win

TOL 3  FAU 10

Game One in the books for the good guys!

OWLS WIN! #FAU takes G1 with SEVEN run 8th. Frank GRAND SLAM, Mattis 2-3, 3RBI, HR. SP House 6IP, 6H, 2R, 2K. WP Peden. G2 Sat 4p #GoOwls! 👌 pic.twitter.com/KvmaPa6mAV

— FAU Owl's Nest (@TheOwlsNest_ITB) March 11, 2017

UPDATED SCHECULE: 2017 FAU Baseball Schedule - FAU Owl's Nest

Does anyone know what Frank's stat line is for the season? It has to be some seriously gaudy numbers.

Tyler Frank  .431 28 H, 6 2B,  5 HR,  23 RBI,  49 TB