Owls Travel to Old Dominion for Important C-USA East Series



What: FAU (24-14, 10-5) vs. Old Dominion (26-9, 8-7)

When: Fri, Apr 22nd @ 6:00 PM
           Sat, Apr 23rd @ 3:00 PM
           Sun, Apr 24th @ 12:00 PM           

Where: Bud Metheny Baseball Stadium

Video: ESPN+ Fri, CUSA.tv Sat & Sun

Live Stats:Here

ODU Team Site: Here

Series: The Owls lead 15-11 overall, but lost 5-of-6 in 2021.


Projected Starting Pitchers:

FAU - LHP Hunter Cooley (5-2, 4.14 ERA)
ODU - LHP Blake Morgan (3-0, 0.83 ERA)

FAU - RHP Jacob Josey (4-2, 5.23 ERA)
ODU - RHP Nick Pantos (5-0, 3.27 ERA)   

FAU - LHP Tyler Burnham (3-0, 2.93 ERA)
ODU - RHP Sam Armstrong (2-2, 5.97 ERA)


FAU Notables

The bats were unusually quiet on Tuesday night as the Owls dropped a 5-1 decision to Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers. Aside from a rough two thirds of the 5th inning for Dante Visconti, which accounted for all of the runs plated and all four FGCU hits, the rest of the staff used were on point delivering a hitless performance to go along with six strikeouts.

Looking to this weekend's action, if ever there was another use for recent history as a motivator, the trio of tilts due up against the Monarchs has the making for some great locker room, and pep talk fodder.

In a season where scheduling saw the need to honor COVID protocol with four game sets, the Owls took on Florida International eight times in 2021, and walked away with six wins under their belt.

However, in stark contrast, their second most faced opponent last season was Old Dominion, who rang their own victory bell while taking 5-of-6 from FAU. Included were three Monarch wins in Boca Raton, and a pair at the 2021 C-USA Championship that sent the Owls home.

The Owls will keep Friday and Sunday's starters in tact with Cooley taking the hill in the opener and Burnham trotting out for the finale. Saturday will see a return from Jacob Josey, who has been mid relief for Burnham the last number of weeks. Tibur Rivero will remain in a relief role.

“He will be available out of the bullpen until further notice", said Head Coach John McCormack. "We want to get him innings in low-pressure situations until he and Brady Kirkpatrick can get his mechanics fully straightened out.”

At the plate the Owls will need to turn the heat back on. Despite a sweep against the Hilltoppers last weekend, they were outhit .274 to .265 by WKU. Shane Magrann (photo below) had a breakout series going 5-of-11, with two homers, a double, and a team high six runs scored, but FAU is hopeful to see dominant production return in the top of the lineup, particularly from Gabriel Rincones.



On the team side, Florida Atlantic ranks 18th in the country in doubles with 81, while Old Dominion and UTSA are tied for 20th with 80 apiece.


Monarch Notables

Old Dominion also saw a 5-1 result in their mid-week matchup against William & Mary, but conversely came out on the winning end.

It requires complicated analysis to stake a claim as to which contest will offer the most resistance in a return to form for the Owls against this year's Monarch squad, but one thing is clear. The insertion of LHP Blake Morgan (3-0, 0.83 ERA) into the opening role on the mound is a potentially huge obstacle.

After seeing most of his time in the mid-week role, Morgan has emerged as one of the league's best hurlers. Earning pitcher of the week honors on April 11th, he dealt a three hit shut out over six innings against UTSA in what was his first weekend start against C-USA's 2nd best hitting squad. He followed that up with a two hit shut out over five frames versus UAB last weekend.

The Monarchs saw time in the Top 25 after a 16-1 start that was only diminished by a 4-1 loss to Binghamton in game four of the season. But momentum swung the other way with a loss to MTSU that began a seven game run which would close out at 3-4 and ended consideration.

Regardless, ODU offers the league's top hitting squad and leads C-USA in batting average (.310), homers (77), runs (330), scoring (9.4), slugging (.570) and stolen bases (57). Four Monarchs can be found in the C-USA top-10 for slugging percentage: Matt Coutney (first, .830), Andy Garriola (2nd, .767), Carter Trice (fourth, .671) and Robbie Petracci (sixth, .664).

The Monarchs will play the top-three teams in the current Conference USA standings in successive weekend series. After hosting FAU this weekend, Old Dominion welcomes LA Tech to the Bud Metheny Ballpark. ODU finishes out at No. 6 Southern Miss May 6-8

Contributing Source: ODU Media Relations

FAU ready to battle ODU in the first of a three game set. Here are the starters for the Owls:

SS Albert, Armando
CF Rincones, Gabriel
1B Schanuel, Nolan
LF Goldstein, Dylan
3B Ross, Jackson
2B Loden, Steven
RF Kelder, Tyler
DH Magrann, Shane
C  Pendleton, Caleb

P  Cooley, Hunter

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 1st:  FAU 0  ODU 2

The Monarchs touch up Cooley for two runs with two outs.

Dylan Goldstein earns a walk, but is left on.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 2nd:  FAU 0  ODU 5

Cooley won't hit his stride tonight after a first frame of scoring, as the Monarchs work him for three more runs off of two hits. The have three doubles now.

Not sure how much longer he can stay in if another inning like this happens. He's already at 58 pitches.

FAU leaves Kelder on the bags after a double of his own.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 3rd:  FAU 0  ODU 5

Owls leave another runner on base.

Old Dominion is finally set down in order as Cooley needs just seven pitches to retire the side.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 4th:  FAU 0  ODU 5

Owls go down in order.

Cooley works around a one out double and two-out walk to keep the score in tact.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 5th:  FAU 0  ODU 7

Owls put runners on the corners with back-to-back singles from Caleb Pendleton and Armando Albert but they are left on. That's five overall and two in scoring position.

Monarchs cash in on a two out single, bringing in another two runs behind a homer to left. That will be it for Cooley, who finishes with 5IP, 9H (4 2B, HR), 7ER, 3BB, 1K.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 6th:  FAU 0  ODU 11

Florida Atlantic goes down in order to lead off the inning.

Monarchs quickly take advantage of the Owl pitching change, roughing up Evan Waterbor for four runs which are capped by a three run shot to left.

There is good news though, Blake Morgan is finished for the night after a six inning, four hit, one walk, three strikeout performance.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 7th:  FAU 0  ODU 11

Another 1-2-3 at the plate from the Owls.

Waterbor allows a double sandwiched in between a ground out, strikeout, and pop-up.

FAU down to six outs, needing a mammoth comeback effort.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢

End 8th:  FAU 0  ODU 14

Nothing doing for Florida Atlantic who is set down in order yet again.

RHP Brock Helverson comes in for Waterbor (2IP, 3H, 4ER, 2BB, 1K) on the hill.

He allows the first two Monarchs to reach and that spells trouble as a fly to left center is too tough for Rincones to handle and ODU adds a run before a subsequent single plates another.

The fun continues with a wild pitch placing runners on the corners with one out before the third Monarch single of the turn brings home the 14th run of the game.

Pretty sure FAU has never battled back from an 0-14 deficit in the 9th inning to claim a win, so this one looks to be in the books.

GO Owls 🦉⚾️🧢