Owls Take on Canes in 1st of Three Series' Contests



What: FAU (3-1) vs No. 24 Miami (4-0)


When: Wed, Feb 23rd @ 6:00 PM - Miami
           Wed, Mar 23rd @ 6:30 PM - Boca Raton
           Tue, Apr 12th @ 6:00 PM - Miami

Where: Alex Rodriguez Field at Mark Light Park
             FAU Baseball Stadium

Video: TBA

Live Stats:Here

Miami Team Site: Here

Series: UM leads 66-20 all-time. The Owls dropped two last season, but took the finale 3-0 in Miami.

Projected Starting Pitchers:

FAU- LHP Marc DeGusipe (0-0, 11.57 ERA)
MIA- RHP Karson Ligon (4-2, 4.23 ERA)

MIA- TBA
FAU- TBA

FAU- TBA
MIA- TBA


Owl Notables

Florida Atlantic opened their 2022 season with a thud, dropping a 9-1 decision to bounceback hopeful Minnesota last Friday. Coach MacCormack must have had the secret sauce in his post game, because from thereafter it was a 38-15 drubbing by the home team with some breakout performances along the way.

Overall the team planted seven balls on grounds outside of FAU Baseball stadium, and swatted 10 doubles.

The Owls have found a trio of +.400 starters at the plate, including Armando Albert (.500), Jalen DeBose (.429), and Steven Loden (.417). DeBose (photo below) was awarded C-USA Hitter of the Week after going .500 (2b, HR, 10 RBI)) with an OPS of 1.683 in the first three games of the series.

DeBose's performance has caught the eye of Head Coach John McCormack, who credited DeBose as being the biggest surprise of the series. "The weekend he had we all wish to have", McCormack said.



Pitching for the Owls was a mixed bag at times, but overall successful. Starters Hunter Cooley and Evan Waterbor kept their ERA's in relative check at 2.70 and 3.38 respectively.  However Jacob Josey (19.29 ERA) and Tibor Rivero (15.00 ERA) ran into some trouble and struggled to get outs. The staff posted a 5.00 ERA as a unit.

Accordingly, McCormack see's consistency and rhythm on the mound as that as the biggest opportunity takeaway from the series. “We need to get into a better routine, and line up the pitching better", said McCormack.

Wednesday will mark the first of three games against Miami for the Owls, with the Hurricanes set to visit Boca Raton in March before a return trip by FAU to Coral Gables in April.

Hurricanes Notables

Miami also opened the season with a four game set, sweeping the Towson Tigers (10-8, 11-2, 13-2, 11-1) while establishing a new program record by posting 10 runs in each of their first four games to open a year of play.

The Hurricanes posted a .309 team mark at the plate and connected on eight homeruns off of Tiger pitching. The pitching staff tossed a collective 2.00 ERA with 46 strikeouts and just nine free passes over the four day set.

Miami was tabbed with the #1 recruiting class in the ACC for this past cycle, with five members expected to make significant impacts this season.

One to watch on Wednesday is freshman outfielder Larenzo Carrier. At 6-5, 220 lbs Carrier has a major league body and a swing to go with it. Making his presence felt  with a .500 average at the plate, he roughed up Towson pithing for seven hits in the series with two homers, two doubles, and a triple.

Freshman RHP Karson Ligon is expected to get the start against FAU. Ligon tossed three innings against Towson over the weekend, giving up one run on three hits.

FAU is in Coral Gables to take on the Canes under the lights in the first of three 2022 contests.

Here is the Starting Lineup for the Owls:

SS Albert
LF Rincones
1B Schanuel
RF Kelder
2B Loden
C  Pendleton
DH Goldstein
3b Ross
CF DeBose
P  DeGusipe

Go Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

Mid 3rd: FAU 1  Canes 1

Miami scores off an RBI single in the 1st frame of the night. FAU puts two aboard in the 2nd, but leave them on the bags. Schanuel GOES YARD to tie it up. DeGusipe 2K.

Go Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 4th: FAU 1  Canes 4

DeGusipe (2.2IP, 7H, 4R, 2K) is touched up for three runs in the 3rd and exits. Now on the hill for the Owls RHP Hayden Compton, who already has 3 K's.

Top 6th:  FAU 1  Canes 4

Compton goes just an inning, and Coach McCormack taps Max Martzolf.

He tosses a crafty bottom 5th, and sets down the Canes in 1-2-3 fashion.

Martzolf needs just 13 pitches to strike out the Cane side in the bottom of the 6th.

Nice work.

Bottom 8th:  FAU 1  Canes 9

Rough 7th for the Owls, as Miami plates a 5 spot.

Top 9th: FAU 1  Canes 9

Halverson strikes out the Miami side, and the Owls are down to their final three outs to try and mount a comeback.

They haven't had a hit since the third inning.

FINAL: FAU 1  Canes 9

Owls drop 1st Game of the 2022 Series to Miami.

Schanuel HR, Loden 1B.

BRIGHT SPOT: Owl pen strings together 10 K's in 5.1 IP, including two frames with 3 to retire the side.

NEXT: vs Delaware Fri 6P

Go Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

🗣️CALL TO ACTION ❗️

"Very poor, we didn't do anything. We didn't play defense, we didn't pitch, and we didn't hit. Very disappointing." - FAU Coach John McCormack on FAU Baseball's loss to #24 Miami.

March 23rd likely can't get hear fast enough for him, and the players. BE THERE 💯

UPDATED SCHEDULE: HERE