May 16, 2002

Final Stats

TALLAHASSEE, FL - Facing elimination on the first day of action at the NCAA Regional in Tallahassee, Florida Atlantic University held on to defeat the University of Alabama, 2-1, Thursday night. Candice Freel picked up the win and also went 2-for-3 with an RBI to lead the Lady Owls. FAU, the no. 1 seed, improved to 61-12 on the year while Alabama (46-21) was eliminated.

FAU, which fell to Chattanooga earlier in the day and was no-hit in the process, came back to score two times on seven hits against the Crimson Tide. Both runs came in the second inning and turned out to be unearned.

Freel got things started with a run-scoring single with two outs to put FAU up 1-0. Michelle Shirah followed with an RBI-single that gave FAU a 2-0 lead.

The Lady Owls would hold that advantage until the seventh when Alabama scored once, but was turned back by Nikki Myers who came on in relief.

Freel (26-5) took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before allowing a lead-off single. She may have been able to have gone the distance had it not been for a foul ball she hit off of her right hand in the bottom of the sixth. Freel came back in the seventh and walked the lead-off hitter before being replaced by Myers. In all, Freel went six innings, allowing one run on one hit with three strikeouts and one walk.

"I knew my team was going to show up tonight," said Freel on the pressure of pitching in an elimination game. "They were there like they have been every other time this year."

Myers picked up her fifth save of the season. In the process, she allowed two hits and got out of a situation where Alabama had runners at second and third with no outs and FAU clinging to a 2-1 lead. Two outs later and runners still at second and third, Myers struck out Emily Currie for the final out.

"Candice did a great job pitching tonight," said FAU head coach Joan Joyce. "Again, it was a pretty tight game. We hit better in spots, and hopefully we can do better at the plate tomorrow."

Florida Atlantic next faces Auburn Friday afternoon at 3:00pm in another elimination game. Should FAU win they will face Chattanooga Friday night at 8:00pm.