SERIES THREAD: Southern Miss vs. FAU - May 14th - 16th, 2021
What: No. 19 Southern Mississippi (33-15, 20-7) vs. Florida Atlantic (27-21, 16-12)
When: Fri., May 14th at 5:00 PM
Sat., May 15th at 2:00 PM (DH)
Sun., Mar. 16th at 12:00 PM
Where: FAU Baseball Stadium
Video: CUSA.tv *Subscription Required
Live Stats: Here
USM Team Site: Here
Series: The Golden Eagles own a 12-9 advantage over the Owls, including the most previous matchup in the 2019 C-USA Tournament Final.
Projected Starting Pitchers:
FAU - LHP Hunter Cooley (7-3, 3.82)
USM - RHP Hunter Stanley (5-2, 2.42)
FAU - LHP Matt Sparling (2-4, 3.76)
USM - RHP Walker Powell (8-2, 2.69)
FAU - RHP Brock Helverson (0-0, 7.36)
USM - RHP Ben Ethridge (6-1, 2.25)
FAU - RHP Javi Rivera (6-0, 4.78)
USM - LHP Drew Boyd (4-2, 3.63)
Notes
Owls
FAU will close their 2021 home schedule with a four game series against cross-divisional rival Southern Mississippi, with the Owls entering the set amidst a two-game win streak.
Last time out, FAU took three of four from Western Kentucky in Bowling Green in a series that say back-to-back days of double-headers. The series win punched FAU's ticket to the C-USA Tournmanet, jumping the Hilltoppers in the conference standings in the process.
Second baseman Steven Lodan landed C-USA Hitter of the Week honors with his .529 average over the weekend. The redshirt freshman has lifted his season batting average from .167 a month ago to to .391 going into this series. The Owls have gone 11-4 since Lodan solidified his place at second base for arguably the Owls' best run of the campaign.
The Owls continue to destroy baseballs this season. FAU's 62 homeruns ranks second in the conference and 16th nationally. BJ Murray paces the team with a dozen dingers, while Nolan Schanuel and Bobby Morgensen round out the Owls hitting double-digit homers with ten a piece.
Hunter Cooley and Javi Riverra continue solidify FAU's position in series openers and closers, respectively. They combine for 13 wins a pair complete games apiece.
Matt Sparling gets the nod to kickoff the Senior Day doubleheader on Saturday. The redshirt junior has dropped four straight decisions despite owning the top ERA from the bunch of FAU's starters. Meanwhile Brock Helverson gets his second start of the season following a no decision in 2.1 innings pitched last weekend at WKU.
Golden Eagles
Southern Miss looks for another C-USA Championship trophy as they close their conference campaign in Boca Raton riding a four-game win-streak.
USM made easy work of a struggling Middle Tennessee ballclub, outscoring the Blue Raiders a combined 26-6 en route to a Golden Eagles sweep.
This weekend's visitors will be looking for another resounding series win to keep their place atop the C-USA West division, as Louisiana Tech trail USM on percentage points.
USM's dynamic pitching duo of Hunter Stanley and Walker Powell shared C-USA Pitcher of the Week awards, as Stanley struck out 16 Blue Raiders in the opener, and Powell threw a Saturday no-hitter. Stanley owns a conference-high 96 strike outs.
SS Wilfredo Alvarez
INF/DH Jared DeSantolo
RF Bobby Morgensen
CF Jackson Wenstrom
P Mike Entenza
P Adrien Reese
P Matt Sparling
P TJ Stuart
P Dylan O'Connell
P Brycen Allen
P Jackson Vescelus
The seniors will be celebrated tomorrow before the double header.
One last home series for this senior class. #FAU's Starting Lineup vs. #USM ⬇️
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 14, 2021
SP: Hunter Cooley
SS Wilfredo Alvarez
3B BJ Murray
1B Nolan Schanuel
2B Steven Loden
C Caleb Pendleton
RF Bobby Morgensen
DH Mitchel Hartigan
CF Jackson Wenstrom
LF Jalen Debose
📸: @thatguycolbs pic.twitter.com/WQ3H3EJF0f
Sure... why not one last Boca Raton rain delay for @FAUBaseball's seniors? 😂
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 14, 2021
Looks like a slight delay as we're hoping for 5:45 first pitch for Game One of #USM vs. #FAU. pic.twitter.com/BAIXB4hOCd
Tarp is still on the field as the afternoon turns to evening in Boca. While the first pitch has again been pushed back, we're hoping that Game One vs. #USM will get started soon. #RainRainGoAway #GoOwls #FAU 👌🌧️👌 pic.twitter.com/JvhH0763yl
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 14, 2021
Tarp is still on the field as the afternoon turns to evening in Boca. While the first pitch has again been pushed back, we're hoping that Game One vs. #USM will get started soon. #RainRainGoAway #GoOwls #FAU 👌🌧️👌 pic.twitter.com/JvhH0763yl
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 14, 2021
#FAU's first pitch from Hunter Cooley is fouled off for a strike. We're finally underway Between the Berms!#GoOwls 👌 pic.twitter.com/tPoaw67NNE
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 14, 2021
We're through two innings of play, and neither team has plated a run. @BJMurray14 has @FAUBaseball's lone hit so far.#USM 0 - #FAU 0 | T3 | @LealLaw pic.twitter.com/ztk9I8rSHp
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 14, 2021
CONFIRMED: @mitchhartigan24 is THAT DUDE ☑️
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 14, 2021
His jack just sneaks over the right-center fence for the first run of the game and his ninth homer of the season!#USM 0 - #FAU 1 | T4 | @LealLaw pic.twitter.com/LNNfItl1vE
That's #CUSA Hitter of the Week Steven Loden with a BOMB to push the Owls ahead again!#USM 1 - #FAU 3 | B6 | @LealLaw pic.twitter.com/u7KL0mW9wm
— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) May 15, 2021
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