#20 Owls Hope to Bounce Back vs. Scrappy Sycamores



What: Indiana State (7-4) vs. No. 20 Florida Atlantic (8-3)

When: Thursday, March 11 @ 6:30 PM
           Friday, March 12 @ 6:30 PM
           Saturday, March 13 @ 1 PM

Where: FAU Baseball Stadium

Video: C-USA TV

Live Stats:Here

Indiana State Team Site: Here

Series: This will be the first-ever matchup between the Owls and Sycamores.

Projected Starting Pitchers:

ISU- Connor Cline (2-0, 2.45 ERA)
FAU- Javi Rivera (1-0, 10.80 ERA)

ISU- Geremy Guerrero (2-0, 1.65 ERA)
FAU- TBD

ISU- Tristan Weaver (0-0, 6.23 ERA)
FAU- Matt Sparling (1-0, 5.74 ERA)


Notes

Owls

FAU Baseball is coming off of a disappointing 11-2 loss to the University of Miami. The possibility of gaining two regular starters back from injury should help the Owls get back to their winning ways.

The TBD slot for Friday's matchup could very well be Jacob Josey, who has not pitched since his outing against UCF. Coach McCormack says Josey has been throwing and is slated to return in the near future. That return could come as soon as on Friday night.

Bobby Morgensen remains questionable to return from a lower leg contusion. He's been day-to-day since he was injured in FAU's February 27th matchup against Seton Hall.

After a quiet game offensively for the Owls, Wilfredo Alvarez is the player to watch for this series. He led off the Miami game with a triple and finished the game 2-4 at the plate and scoring one of the Owls' two runs last time out.

Javi Rivera is slated to get the start for Thursday's game. Last time out, he pitched two innings and only allowed one hit and no walks with two strikeouts in FAU's 14-9 victory over FGCU on Sunday. He was relieved by Sunday's starter, Matt Sparling.

Sparling pitched 4.2 innings in relief in his last appearance, allowing four hits, six runs, and five walks, only striking out two batters. In his last start against Seton Hall, he pitched six innings and only allowed three hits, one run, one walk, and struck out 10 batters.
 

Sycamores

The Indiana State Sycamores come into this game with a 7-4 record. In their last game, they defeated the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles by a score of 5-3. ISU has won four straight, all of which coming in the State of Florida.

The Sycamores were led by leadoff hitter and second baseman Josue Urdaneta, who went 3-5 with an RBI and two runs. First baseman Miguel Rivera also had 2 RBIs and batted 1-4.

ISU's Thursday starter, Connor Cline pitched four innings in a win against FIU in his last outing. He gave up five hits, two runs, and a walk and struck out four batters.

Their Friday starter, Geremy Guerrero, pitched eight innings in a win against FIU. He allowed three hits, two runs, and a walk and struck out a whopping 15 batters.

On Saturday, Indiana State will start Tristan Weaver. In his lone appearance on the season against Tennessee, he pitched 4.1 innings, allowed six hits, three runs, and two walks, and struck out four batters in a loss.

Bobby Morgensen is BACK! He'll play DH and hit fourth tonight! Meanwhile, Steven Loden will man right field. Here are your starters.

BOBBY'S BACK!!!! 🤩🤩

After missing six games due to a lower leg contusion, Bobby Morgensen is BACK! 🥳 And he's just in time for @FAUBaseball's matchup against @IndStBaseball.

Here are your starters for tonight's game between #FAU and #ISU: pic.twitter.com/8xE4FmYvES

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) March 11, 2021

Good to see Morgensen back in the mix.  Like I said the other night this is going to be a tough series possibly the toughest weekend series we play this year.  The Sycamores are a down low very good program no ones heard of.  

Good grief whats that lead off batters 40 time?  Nice follow up dp.

We’re UNDERWAY in Paradise! 😎🌴

Javi Rivera will take the mound and try to guide the Owls to their ninth victory of the season!#ISU 0 - #FAU 0 | T1 | @LealLaw pic.twitter.com/GKiaCDxsZg

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) March 11, 2021

BOBBY IS BACK! HE IS BACK EVERYONE!

THE BOBBY BOMBS ARE BACK!!! 💣

Bobby Morgensen returns to the lineup with THUNDER!! ⚡️ He hits a three-run home run in his first at-bat back from injury. Welcome back, @bmorgensen11!#ISU 0 - #FAU 1 | E1 | @LealLaw pic.twitter.com/W35MFi2LQb

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) March 11, 2021

Indiana State gets three runs of their own and it's a tie game.

We’ve got ourselves a tied game after 3 innings. 😬

Indiana State answered back with a two run shot of their own. Here are some shots 📸 from today’s game courtesy of @TheNoahGoldberg.#ISU 3 - #FAU 3 | E3 | @LealLaw pic.twitter.com/dFFmMANT0I

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) March 12, 2021

There's still some time for a comeback…..

We’ve reached the end of the 6th inning and the Sycamores have taken the lead. 🙁

Thomas Haggerty takes the mound to try to halt the @IndStBaseball offense. Go Owls. #ISU 5 - #FAU 3 | E6 | @LealLaw pic.twitter.com/cAFPFFuMTV

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) March 12, 2021

IMHO, we need to sweep these guys to ensure that we stay in the rankings…Dropping the contest at Miami 11-2 is not a good look after what we did (UCF, UF) to get us there.

One would think we come back and take care of these guys in the opener by a respectable margin, but it ain't happening so far.

If we lose it's not going to be a good look for voters, or pollster media outlets.

That means the best we can do is go 2-2 and would need to basically wax them the final two games. Even then, it may not be enough.

No comeback today.

We battled. 😕 | FINAL: #ISU 7, #FAU 5

The Owls tie the game with a 2 RBI single from Steven Loden, but the Sycamores get two runs back to take the lead.

NEXT: Friday, March 12 🆚 @IndStBaseball (6:30 PM) pic.twitter.com/TIGjywwgNO

— FAU Owl's Nest (@FAU_Owls_Nest) March 12, 2021