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SERIES THREAD: FAU @ USF - March 19-21, 2021

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Owls Travel to Tampa for First Time in Over a Decade


What: Florida Atlantic (9-6) vs. South Florida (7-7)

When: Fri., Mar. 19th at 6:00 PM
           Sat., Mar. 20th at 6:00 PM
           Sun., Mar. 21st at 1:00 PM
           

Where: USF Baseball Stadium
           

Video: ESPN+ *Subscription Required

Live Stats: Here

USF Team Site: Here

Series: The Bulls own a 12-2 edge over the Owls, although FAU won the most recent matchup 8-4 in an elimination game of the 2015 Gainesville regional.

Projected Starting Pitchers:

FAU - LHP Hunter Cooley (2-1, 5.28)
USF - RHP Jack Jasiak (2-1, 2.08)

FAU - LHP Matt Sparling (2-0, 4.57)
USF - TBA

FAU - RHP Javi Rivera (1-0, 10.38)
USF - TBA


Notes

Owls

The Owls will head to Tampa for the first three-game weekend set against USF since 1994.

It has been six years since the two programs have met on the diamond, with the Owls eliminating the Bulls in the Gainesville Regional. Regional host Florida Gators, would beat FAU in the following game 2-1 to advance to the Super Regionals. UF would later lose in the semifinals of the College World Series to eventual National Champion Virginia.

Last time out, the Owls were upended by an eighth inning UCF grand slam en route to an 8-3 Knights win. With the loss, FAU and UCF split their four-game season series.

FAU ranks 17th in the nation in home runs per game with 1.53. BJ Murray and Bobby Morgensen pace the the ballclub in homers with four a piece. Jackson Wenstrom plus a pair of freshman, Nolan Schaniel and Caleb Pendleton, are close behind with three home runs so far this season.

Hunter Cooley will get his first start of the campaign on Friday. Cooley has pitched 15.1 innings in seven game appearances. He is second to Matt Sparling in strike outs with 18.

Speaking of Sparling, the southpaw will move to the Saturday slot after after pitching starting the series' finales of the previous four weekend sets. He leads the team in innings pitched and strikeouts with 21.2 and 26, respectively.

Javi Rivera will be the lone right-handed starter the Owls. The Indian River State College transfer got his first decision in the Owls' 14-9 victory over FGCU.

This will be the Owls' final non-conference weekend series before C-USA play begins with a four-game set against Marshall next weekend. FAU will host the Miami Hurricanes the Tuesday before.



Bulls

USF is amidst a four-game skid, including a series sweep to FGCU. Last time out, the Bulls fell to Stetson 14-12.

The lone common opponent between the Bulls and Owls this season is FGCU. USF is 0-6 vs. FGCU while FAU is 2-1 vs. FGCU.

A trio of Bulls are hitting above .350 this season, propelling the team's .311 average to 19th in the nation. Utility player Carmine Lane paces the club with .385 batting average. Fellow freshman Drew Butcher's seven home runs puts him tied for eighth nationally.

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My prediction . We will average seven runs per game and come home one win and two losses.
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Have to be excited to see Cooley get his first start of the season. Hopefully the bats can back him up!

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Have to feel like Nolan is overdue for a big day, feel like we haven't a stellar outing from him in a bit.

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AND THERE HE IS! Nolan Schanuel gets us started with a three-run triple!

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Cooley is as cool as ever, only giving up four hits so far. Bobby Morgensen comes through for an impressive catch to keep USF off the base paths.

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Cooley looks like he should be a mainstay in the FAU rotation. Great call by Coach Mac to give him the start!

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Entenza Time!
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Mike Entenza secures the save with two strikeouts in the bottom of the ninth! What a game from the Owls' pitching staff, which was nearly spotless tonight.

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After dropping three out of the last four games, the FAU Baseball team is back in the win column. Backed by some amazing pitching, the Owls move to 10-6 with a 5-1 victory over USF.

The Rundown
  • Hunter Cooley was absolutely dominant in his first start of the season. He pitched seven innings, allowed just four hits and one run, and struck out six batters
  • Nolan Schanuel is back to his dominant ways. He went 2-3 with 3 RBI, including a three-run triple that put the Owls up 3-0 early in the game.
  • Mike Entenza had a very efficient save. In the bottom of the ninth, he struck out two of the three runners he faced and didn't allow a single base runner to secure the win for the Owls.
  • Jacob Josey is likely to be out of the rotation this weekend. Hunter Cooley likely made his case to enter that rotation in Josey's absence heading into conference play.
  • Bobby Morgensen and Jared DeSantolo each had one hit and an RBI today, helping the Owls stay ahead in this low-scoring affair.

The Owls will be back in action tomorrow at 6:00 p.m. for game two against USF. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.

UPDATED SCHEDULE: HERE
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