Baseball Series Thread: FAU vs Western Kentucky  - May 12th - 14th, 2017




What:      FAU (29-16-1, 15-9 C-USA) at Western Kentucky (14-35, 4-20 C-USA)

When:     Fri, May 12th at 6:00 PM
                Sat, May 13th at 2:00 PM
                Sun, May 14h at 1:00 PM


Where:    Nick Denes Field

Stream:   CUSA.tv *FEE

Stats:       Here


Series:

The Owls are 24-10 all-time against the Hilltoppers and have won the last 10 games.


Projected Starting Pitchers

Fri:        FAU - RHP Alex House  (5-3, 5.06)
             WKU - LHP Ryan Thurston (3-5, 5.56)

Sat:       FAU - RHP Blake Sanderson (1-0, 2.62)
             WKU - RHP Paul Kirkpatrick (2-7, 7.06)

Sun:      FAU - LHP Jake Miednik (5-4, 5.35)
             WKU - TBA


Game Notes

Owls

For the first time in a while Florida Atlantic will employ the same starting rotation for consecutive weekends. Blake Sanderson gets his second call on Saturday with Alex House and Jake Miednik staying put for Friday and Sunday respectively.

The Owls are still sitting near the top of the league standings despite suffering two walk-off losses to end their last weekend series. They are four games behind Southern Miss but just a game behind second-place Old Dominion.

However they will likely need a near perfect performance from here out with a maximum of one conference loss to be considered for an at large bid to the NCAA Tournament.

With UCF looming in midweek action and an RPI of 30, they could get a solid RPI booster if able to pull out a win at the Ballpark of the Palm Beaches. Next weekend's opponent Old Dominion checks in at 42 and offers another opportunity to make up for lost ground.

Rain which was previously forecast to appear at start time has been pushed up to earlier in the day on Friday and should be out of the way for the most part in time for the series' first pitch.


Hilltoppers

Western Kentucky comes into the weekend on a 13 game losing streak in conference play having last earned a 4-3 victory against UTSA on April 8th.

The Hilltoppers are 9-8 on the season when they find the scoreboard first compared to a 5-27 mark when being beat out by an opponent.

Among WKU's 14 wins this season, 3-of-14 are walk-offs and 10-of-14 have been comebacks. The four games in which the Toppers never trailed were a trio of Friday starts by Ryan Thurston and a complete game by Paul Kirkpatrick.

Senior Hunter Wood has been on of the most well-rounded catchers in Division I this season. He ranks 7th in the nation with 21 opponents caught stealing, while leading WKU with a slash line of .308/.388/.541 in 45 games started.

Offensively, five different WKU players have multi-home run game efforts, with two of them accomplishing the feat twice.

The opener is moving at a rapid pace, but the Owls are trailing. Western Kentucky got on the board in the bottom of the first inning with a pair of runs later taking a 3-0 lead in the third. Florida Atlantic responded with a homerun from Tyler Frank and an RBI single from Austin Lagham in the top of the fifth. House closes out the fifth with his first 1-2-3 effort.

Top 6th

FAU 2  WKU 3

Pedro Pages swats his fourth homer of the season and it's all tied up.

Bot 6th

FAU 3  WKU 3

House is worked for two more runs off three hits by the Hilltoppers to close out the 6th inning.

FAU 3  WKU 5

Top 7th

The Owls load the bases off three walks with just one out which chases starter Ryan Thurston from the mound, but they can't do anything with it.

Sean Labsan is now on in relief for House who finishes with a final line of  6IP, 10H, 5ER, 0BB, 5K.

FAU 3  WKU 5

Bot 7th

Labsan has a fine first inning after the stretch by putting down the Hilltoppers with two strikeouts and a grounder.

The Owls narrow the gap to just a run in the top half of the eight as Tyler Frank hits a sacrifice fly to right. They attempt the tie by sending Shouppe home from second but he is thrown out at the plate.

Bot 8th

FAU 4  WKU 5

Labsan serves up a long ball, his first of the year, and the Toppers have an insurance run.

Owls down to their last three outs needing two runs to tie it up. Langham, Kerr, and Poore will be due up to try and make it happen.

Top 9th

FAU 4  WKU 6

GAME ONE FINAL:

FAU 4  WKU 6

The Owls go on order to end the contest, giving the Hilltoppers (15-35, 5-20) their first conference win in 14 tries.

Florida Atlantic gets four runs off of 10 hits, but strands 12 runners on the base path in the loss.

Shouppe, Miranda, Langham (RBI), and Pages (RBI) each register two hits for FAU. Tyler Frank drove in two runs.

Alex House takes the loss for the Owls (29-17-1, 15-10), falling to 5-4 on the year.

FAU has now lost four straight, and eight of their last 13 games.

“We got down two in the bottom of the first and were never able to recover", said Head Coach John McCormack. "We must capitalize on the opportunities given to us (and) we have to regroup and win tomorrow.”

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

David Mirando gets things going for the Owls early with a two run blast in the first and follows that with an RBI single in the top of the third. Jared Shouppe adds an RBI double and FAI is off to a good start in game two.

That's enough to send Hilltopper starter Paul Kirkpatrick back to the dugout.

FAU 4  WKU 0

Bot 3

Despite giving up a solo home run to the Hilltoppers, Blake Sanderson continues to throw well. He's gone four complete now with just three hits and the homer.

FAU 4  WKU 1

Top 5th