It was another successful weekend at the Ballpark for FAU softball, as outside of winning their 10th consecutive game, the Owls clinched an AAC regular season title and also made some history in the pitching department.
FAU swept Tulsa in 3 games, outscoring Tulsa 24-2, getting a perfect game from Jaden Martinez in the second half of a doubleheader on Saturday and handling business on Sunday with multiple lineup changes. During FAU’s now 10 game win streak which featured wins over UNT, ECU, Tulsa and Memphis they have outscored their opponents 91-12.
It is the second consecutive season in which FAU has clinched an AAC regular season title, however this time around they are in sole possession of the title after sharing it with Charlotte last season. The Owls will head into the AAC tournament as the number 1 seed in the conference and they will face the winner of UNT and their quarterfinal opponent on Friday at 1 PM est in the Semi-Finals with the game broadcasted on ESPNU.
Owls clinch regular season AAC title with dominating performance
The first game of Saturday’s doubleheader was a continuation of the Owls domination that they have displayed over the past 3 series, however the victory marked something special for FAU. After sharing a regular season title with Charlotte last season, FAU’s win over Tulsa in game one of Saturday’s double header gave them sole possession of the AAC regular season title for 2025.
With a chance to win a title, FAU wasted no time, striking for 7 runs through the first 3 innings behind RBIs from Jesiana Mora, Destiny Johns, Kiley Channel, Kylie Hammonds and Kiley Shelton. That lead expanded to 13-2 by the 7th inning, as Kiley Shelton connected on solo homers twice in both the 5th and 7th innings, Channell added 2 more RBIs on a double in the 5th and single in the 7th and Johns capped off the scoring with an RBI double in the 7th.
In the circle, it was business as usual for the Owls as Autumn Courtney allowed just 2 runs over 4 innings, striking out 4 en route to her 22nd win of the season. It was lights-out closer Ainsley Lambert who sealed the deal however, as she picked up her nation leading 10th save of the season, striking out 5, allowing only one hit, walking none and allowing no runs over the final 3 innings to clinch the Owls a regular season title.
Jaden Martinez throws perfect game
Just 30 minutes after the Owls AAC regular season championship clinching win they had the second half of a doubleheader on tap and the excitement level of game one was somehow matched by what occurred in game 2.
The Owls grabbed an early lead in this one as by the end of the 4th inning they led 3-0 behind RBIs from Ciara Gibson, Chloe Yeatts and Yani Guzman. While the Owls were taking care of things offensively, Jaden Martinez was mowing down Tulsa batters, as through 4 innings she allowed only 1 ball to leave the infield which resulted in a fly out, setting down the first 12 Golden Hurricane she faced in order.
Her domination continued from there, as over the next 3 innings she allowed just 2 more balls to leave the infield, both resulting in fly-outs and headed down to the last out of the game, she was still maintaining a perfect game. That last out however was not an easy one, as Tulsa outfielder Anika Dill hit a dribbler back to the mound that went off of Martinez’s glove and into the infield, where at second base Destiny Johns had to come up, field and fire, just narrowly getting Dill at first base, confirmed after review to be the final out of Martinez’s perfect game performance.
Martinez’s perfect game was the 3rd all time in FAU history and first since 2002, when Florida Atlantic hall of famer Nikki Myers walked none and struck out 13 en route to a perfect game in a 1-0 victory over Southern Illinois on February 24th.
Owls sweep AAC season awards
After a dominating regular season campaign which resulted in an AAC title, FAU softball has come away with multiple end of season awards.
FAU Coach Jordan Clark was awarded AAC Coach of the year and her staff, which features Nicole Newman, Shelby Petik, Katelynn De Leon, Elizabeth Hightower, Dezarae Maldonado and Trinity Schlotterbeck was recognized as AAC staff after the year. This was the largest staff that Clark has had during her time here, adding one additional assistant and GA this past offseason.
The Owls were able to get production from many freshmen this season and 2 of them, Destiny Johns and Bella Foran, were recognized for their success by earning a spot on the AAC all freshman team. Foran led the Owls with a .423 batting average, playing in 53 games and recording 17 RBIs, while Johns batted .312 with 5 home runs, 42 RBIs and 13 extra base hits.
FAU had 3 representatives on the First Team All AAC list, as Ace Autumn Courtney, leadoff hitter Kylie Hammonds and catcher Chloe Yeatts all earned a spot on the team. Courtney also earned AAC pitcher of the year, finishing with a 23-2 record, 1.89 ERA and 156 strikeouts to only 47 walks. Yeatts and Hammonds were consistent contributors in the Owls lineup throughout the season, with Yeatts finishing with a .366 batting average, 7 home runs and 51 RBIs and Hammonds notching a .376 batting average, 5 home runs and 35 RBIs.
As for Second Team all AAC, Bella Foran, Bella Cimino, Kiley Channell, Ainsley Lambert and Jesiana Mora all earned a spot on the team. Mora also earned defensive player of the year, finishing with 36 putouts, 37 assists and 0 errors and a .413 batting average with 6 home runs and 24 RBIs. Ainsley Lambert was lights out coming out of the bullpen all season long, finishing first in the country in saves with 10, a 1.77 ERA, 31 strikeouts and just 6 walks. Kiley Channell built on her AAC rookie of the year campaign from a year ago, finishing with a .375 batting average, 1 home run and 26 RBIs, while Bella Cimino after playing in just 6 games a year ago finished with a .378 batting average, 4 home runs and 11 RBIs.