May 20, 2006

Final Stats

With an Atlantic Sun conference sweep of East Tennessee State University, Florida Atlantic University secured a no. 4 seed in next week's A-Sun Tournament. The Owls defeated ETSU 7-3 on Saturday afternoon behind two RBI games from Jordan Hafer, Daniel Cook and Nick Arata.

"I am happy for these players after what they have faced this season and what was at stake this weekend and we played our best baseball of the year," said FAU head coach Kevin Cooney.

For the second day in a row, the Buccaneers (29-25, 14-16 A-Sun) scored first but the Owls scored in the following frame. Mike Crotta allowed two runs to ETSU in the sixth inning after recording an out to start the inning. A walk was followed by a single and two errors as East Tennessee State jumped up 2-0.

Three straight base hits started the bottom of the sixth for the Owls. Travis Ozga and pinch hitter Anthony Albano both singled to put runners on the corners for FAU's leading hitter Jordan Hafer. The left fielder singled through the right side to plate FAU's first run. After a ground out moved two runners into scoring position, Caleb Glafenhein intentionally walked Tim Mascia to load the bases. Glafenehein then produced a ground ball double play to get out of the jam.

Glafenehein did not fare as well in the seventh inning as he hit a batter before Mike McKenna, Daniel Cook and Nick Arata recorded three straight hits. Cook and Arata's hits produced runs for the Owls and gave the team the lead for the first time in the contest.

Glafanehein suffered the loss to fall to 1-3 after he allowed four runs on six hits in one inning.

The Owls produced their second three-run inning in the eighth to extend the lead on Steven Calicutt. Again, FAU produced four straight base runners with one out. Cook and Arata both picked up their second RBI in the frame and Stevens singled with the bases loaded to produce FAU's seventh run.

The Buccaneers threatened in the ninth with a leadoff double by Matt Traylor who finished the day 3-for-4 at the plate. Traylor scored on a single by Anthony Russell. A walk would put two runners on base and the tying run on deck as pitcher Chris Eberhart took the mound for FAU. Eberhart picked up the save as he recorded a ground out and a fly out as Florida Atlantic finished the regular season at 29-26, 14-16 A-Sun.

Anthony Bradley earned his first decision of the season to improve to 1-0 for FAU. He worked one inning and did not allow a runner on base.

FAU will face Stetson University in the first round of the A-Sun Tournament on Wednesday in DeLand, FL.