FAU Baseball to Face First Big Challenge of Young Season at Miami


What: Florida Atlantic (3-0) at Miami (3-0)

Where: Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field

Series: The Hurricanes hold a 62-17 all-time series over the Owls. However, FAU swept Miami in the 2018 season series.


Video: ACC Network Extra (with subscription)

Radio: YouTube

Stats: Here

Miami Team Site: Here


Projected Starting Pitchers:

FAU - Hunter Cooley Fr. LHP (1-0, 0.00)
UM - Slade Cecconi Fr. RHP (0-0, 0.00)


Owls at a Glance:

FAU is amidst a hot start after an opening series sweep against Cincinnati, in which the Owls outscored the Bearcats by a combined score of 22-10. All 22 of last weekend's runs came as the Owls faced two outs.

A notable player to look out for in this game is FAU freshman BJ Murray, who had a great weekend offensively, hitting a two-run homer in his collegiate debut.

Eric Rivera has dominated UM during his FAU career. He has 9 RBI in six career games against the Hurricanes. He also hit a 9th inning grand slam on Miami’s home field last season to cap off a six-run inning and huge seven-run comeback for the Owls.

Starting on the mound will be freshman Hunter Cooley, who saw some action in Saturday's game against Cincinnati. The Vero Beach HS product came in to relieve Mike Ruff for 1.1 IP, just enough time for the Owls to score the go-ahead runs in the sixth inning.

The Owls are receiving votes in the NCBWA poll.



Hurricanes at a Glance:

Miami Head Coach Gino DiMare made his debut with the Hurricanes last weekend, replacing coaching legend Jim Morris. The Canes swept Rutgers with scores of 19-3, 7-1, and 9-3.

Miami freshman Adrian Del Castillo also had an impressive weekend, hitting clutch a two-run, bases loaded double in the bottom of the 8th as well as racking up three RBI in the same game.

Gino DiMare wants to make sure his Hurricanes take the Owls seriously. In an interview this weekend with the Miami Herald, he mentioned FAU sweeping the Hurricanes last season, and that mid-week out-of-conference games carry more weight than some would think, saying “I kind of put that in their heads, that these mid-week games last year is what kept us out of the NCAA tournament.”

DiMare will put his trust in true freshman Slade Cecconi, whose 2.0 IP Saturday vs. Rutgers yielded 2 H, 0 R, and 2 K. The Oviedo native was drafted in the 38th round of the MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.

The Hurricanes currently sit at #30 on the Collegiate Top 30.

We're underway from Coral Gables!

#UM’s Slade Cecconi gets us underway from Coral Gables with a ball. #FAU’s looking for their fourth straight win over the Hurricanes.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) February 20, 2019

Miami makes FAU pay for their mistakes, plating four unearned runs.

#FAU 0 - #UM 4 | Top of 4th

Yikes... Cooley did not get much help from his defense in the third. While he has given up a few hits, a pair of FAU errors allowed 4 unearned runs to cross home plate.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) February 20, 2019

Owls cut the deficit in half, but not without some controversy. A bang-bang play occurs as Cecconi applies a tag on Montes, who attempted to take home after a wild pitch. Cecconi completely missed Montes, hitting the ground between Montes' leg and arm, but the umpires call him out.

#FAU 2 - #UM 4 | Middle of 4th

An RBI ground-rule double from Montes and an RBI groundout from DeSantolo cuts the Miami lead in half. After a wild pitch, the umpires allow Cecconi to block the plate and miss the tag of Montes at home, but still collect the out.

...k....

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) February 21, 2019

Yikes, these umpires missing calls left and right as UM stretches their lead back to four again.

#FAU 2 - #UM 6 | Bottom of 4th

Lol the fix is in. The Owls catch Miami stealing second, but the umpires call the runner safe. Two pitches later, the Canes empty the bases with a two run double.

Cooley's first start ends with 8H, 4K, 2ER. In comes RHP Vladimir Zavala.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) February 21, 2019

Its just not our night tonight y'all.

#FAU 3 - #UM 10 | Top 7th

It is not our night. At least the Owls' young pitching staff are getting some experience against a solid Miami squad.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) February 21, 2019

Whew. Thankful that's over with. A lot of lessons learned from this young squad, especially defensively.

Owls will regroup and try again Friday against Illinois.

FINAL | #FAU 4 - #UM 11

The Owls (3-1) suffer their first loss of the young season, thanks to a strong offensive effort from the Hurricanes. Cooley gets booked for the loss, despite a solid outing from the freshman.

Montes - 2 H, 1 RBI
Johnson - 2 H, 2 R

NEXT: Fri vs Illinois

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) February 21, 2019

UPDATED SCHEDULE: 2019 FAU Baseball Schedule - FAU Owl's Nest

We need to correct those defensive  errors. One loss. Move on.

I’m in the Kiwanis club here in my town with a few UI grads. I did a little bragging and predicted a sweep this morning at our weekly breakfast meeting. I did bring up the basketball win as well. 

illinoisowl said

I’m in the Kiwanis club here in my town with a few UI grads. I did a little bragging and predicted a sweep this morning at our weekly breakfast meeting. I did bring up the basketball win as well. 

Posted On: Feb 21st 2019, 10:24 AM #385283

Hope the team backs you up. Played an ugly one last night, youth showed! And of course UM had an agenda after last year. Gotta play clean baseball to win guys, BASICS!