Baseball Series Thread: FAU vs Charlotte - Apr 5th - 7th, 2019




What:      FAU (20-9, 8-1 C-USA) at Charlotte (12-15-1, 3-5-1 C-USA)

When:     Fri, Apr 5th at 6:00 PM
                Sat, Apr 6th at 2:00 PM
                Sun, Apr 7st at 12:00 PM


Where:    Robert and Mariam Hayes Stadium

Stream:   FAUSports.tv *FEE

Stats:       Here


Series:

The Owls own a 13-4 advantage against Charlotte.


Projected Starting Pitchers

Fri:        FAU - RHP Blake Sanderson (6-0, 2.98)
             CHA - RHP Ryan Czanstkowski (1-2, 4.81)

Sat:       FAU - RHP Mike Ruff (4-0, 4.85)
             CHA - Bryce McGowan (2-4, 4.11)

Sun:      FAU - LHP Nick Swan (1-1, 7.00)
             CHA - TBA


Game Notes

Owls

FAU enters the weekend having won four-straight after sweeping C-USA rival FIU last weekend and topping Miami on Wednesday to avoid a series sweep.

After a 3-6 start, the Owls are 17-3 and enjoy five sweeps. A big part of the shift in results has been the continued adjustments made by skipper John McCormack and the progression of the pitching staff.

The Owls eddge out the 49ers in runs scored at 193-156 overall, and nearly double-up in long balls at 30 (1st C-USA) to that of 18 for Charlotte.

FAU has hit into 22 double-plays on the season, trailing only UTSA (23) for the most in the conference.


49ers

Charlotte continues a four-game homestand on Friday night against Florida Atlantic. The 49ers got back in the win column with a 5-2 victory over UNC Asheville on Wednesday using a four-run first to propel themselves to victory.

On Wednesday vs. UNCA, the 49ers hit .333 on the night with runners on and with runners in scoring position. The Niners also took advantage of their runner at third with less than two outs opportunities getting two of the three in.
 
On the year, Charlotte is hitting .291 overall and .310 as a team with runners in scoring position. Posting a runner at third with less than two outs, the 49ers get the run in nearly 60% of the time.

Todd Elwood is the team's leading hitter, and is second in the league, at .386, while Harris Yett places seventh (.364) and first with 15 doubles. He's also third in slugging (.655) and fifth in hits (40) and RBI (27).

- FAU Baseball SID Jonathan Fraysure, and UNCC Baseball SID Sean Fox contributed to this report

A little bit of an earlier start tonight for the first of 3, but let's play some ball!

#FAU is about a half hour away from first pitch in game 1 of 3 in Charlotte as Blake Sanderson takes the mound against the 49ers.

Let's #GoOwls!!

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 5, 2019

 

Four straight hits for the Owls help them secure a 4-0 lead early in the game! An RBI single from Morgensen put FAU's first run on the board tonight

A big half inning for the Owls! Putting 4 runs on the board and giving #FAU a 4-0 lead as they head into the bottom of the 2nd.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 5, 2019

 

I think it's safe to say that the bats have SHOWED UP in Charlotte tonight as Montes hits a monster 2-run homer to left, bringing the Owls to 6-0!

A HUGE 2-RUN BOMB FROM JOE MONTES!!!

That'll bring #FAU to 6-0 in the top of the 3rd!!

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 5, 2019

 

Charlotte finally gets some runs on the board in the bottom of the 6th, but still trail the Owls 6-3. The Owls are still looking good as this game goes on and have been putting on a very impressive offensive performance tonight!

#Charlotte puts 3 on the board with an RBI single and a 2-run home run in the bottom of the 6th, #FAU still leads 6-3

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 5, 2019

 

The Owls add another 2 to the board with more of their fantastic offensive play! Vince Coletti replaced Sandy in the bottom of 7th, and will likely be closing the game out tonight as you have to think that coach Mac would want to save Schneider for later in the weekend.

Both sides added some runs in the 7th inning, with the Owls scoring two via Urbaez running home on a sacfly from Pages & an RBI single from Hartigan to bring in Morgensen. #FAU still up on the 49ers, 8-4 in the 8th inning.

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 6, 2019

 

Looks like Vince will be closing this out for the Owls, unless things really start to fall apart here. But for now, the Owls hold a comfortable 8-4 lead against Charlotte as they head into the bottom of the 9th.

The 49ers hold #FAU to 8 runs in the top of the 9th. #FAU's Vince Coletti stays on the bump for the bottom of the 9th to close out this game, the Owls still lead 8-4

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 6, 2019

 

OWLS WIN! FAU takes game 1 against the 49ers! The boys will be back tomorrow to clinch the series and extend their 21-9 record.

This team has been so fun to watch, they've really come so far after their rough start. They're an extremely talented group guys, I can't wait to see how far they take this!

OWLS WIN!! 8-4 FINAL

The offensive was on FIRE tonight as the Owls take game 1 in Charlotte! #FAU will return tomorrow at 2pm as they look to clinch the series against the 49ers

Sanderson-6.2IP, 4R, 11H, 4K
Montes-2R, 3RBI, 1HR
Morgensen-3R, 4H
Hartigan-1R, 3H, 2RBI pic.twitter.com/gd23DDTScM

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) April 6, 2019

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

FAU Baseball scored the first six runs of the game, and successfully scattered at least one Charlotte hit in every inning, topping the 49ers Friday night, 8-4 at Hayes Stadium.

“I thought it was a good win by our guys, under some adverse conditions that we’re certainly not used to playing in", said Head Coach John McCormack. "One being turf, and two being the rain and the mist."

Just like in the fifth against Miami Wednesday, the FAU (21-9, 9-1 C-USA) second began with four straight singles. Pedro Pages, Bobby Morgensen, Joe Montes and Mitchell Hartigan all got clean hits, with Montes and Hartigan making it a 2-0 lead. A third run came in on a Jacob Josey groundout; a fourth on a Francisco Urbaez single.

Then, in the third, Montes absolutely annihilated a 2-2 pitch for a two-run shot and a six-run lead.

Charlotte (12-16-1, 3-6-1 C-USA) scored three times in the sixth, but FAU got two back in their next at-bat, on a sacrifice fly by Pages and another RBI single by Hartigan.

"We had the four-run second followed up by two more, and credit to Charlotte, they rallied, but Sanderson and Coletti did enough. We gave up 15 hits and only four runs, you don’t really ever see that", McCormack said. "Overall, a good night.”

Blake Sanderson got the win, pitching into the seventh, and Vince Coletti wrapped things with 2 1/3 innings scoreless.

Morgensen, Montes and Hartigan, hitting back-to-back-to-back in the Owls’ lineup, combined to go 10-for-13 on the night.

Game two features the starting pitching matchup of Mike Ruff versus Bryce McGowan of Charlotte, beginning at 2:00 PM.

- FAU Baseball SID Jonathan Fraysure

Coach Mac has these guys on an amazing run. Sanderson still undefeated.