FAU pitcher Barry Rooks shows what place the Owls finished in the Sun Belt standings after the Owls beat FIU 14-10 on Saturday. (FAUOwlAccess.com photo)
Nice ring to it
Florida Atlantic wins its first Sun Belt Conference championship by rallying to defeat FIU 14-10 on Saturday at FAU Stadium.
Originally published on
5/22/2010
by
Marcus Nelson
> Video: FAU wins title, takes a dive
> Video: FAU claims Sun Belt title
> GameBrowser: Quick hits and analysis
> Re-Tweet Replay: Our in-game Twitter updates
> Sun Belt Standings: Final standings
> Blue Wave Board: Talk about FIU-FAU here
> Boxscore: The game by the numbers
> Post-game interviews: HC McCormack / LF Pittman / RF Mee / CF Mesa
BOCA RATON - Florida Atlantic has rallied to win games so many times this season that it’s almost become routine.
On Saturday, the Owls won for the 18th time after the opponent scored first, but this effort was one for the ages as FAU used a seven run seventh inning to defeat FIU 14-10 and win its first Sun Belt Conference championship.
“We talk about it all the time that two-out hits win championships,” said FAU coach John McCormack. “Sure enough that holds true today. The guys kept putting the barrel on the ball and these guys never, ever gave up and I’m just so proud of them. They deserve it.”
The Golden Panthers took an 8-5 lead in the top of the seventh inning on a 3-run homer by Rudy Flores that looked like it might be a dagger to FAU’s championship hopes.
Instead FAU responded with seven runs – all with two outs – in the seventh.
The big blow was a three-run homer by freshman leftfielder Nathan Pittman to right that tied the game at 8l.
“That was definitely a momentum switch,” said Pittman. “After that I knew the game was over. …With the conference championship on the line, it was a great, great feeling.”
The Owls weren’t finished. Later in the inning junior second baseman Raymond Church delivered an RBI single and catcher Mike Albaladejo had an RBI double. Andy Mee, who started the inning with a walk, drove in two more runs before being thrown out at second trying to stretch his hit into a double.
In all, FAU sent 10 men to the plate and had seven consecutive batters reach base with two outs.
“We just try to stay relaxed and find a way to get it done – we always do ,” said Mee, who moved from right field to the mound in the next inning and finished the game by striking out Jabari Henry to end the game, setting off a wild celebration.
FAU (33-20, 21-9) will be the No. 1 seed in this week’s Sun Belt Conference Tournament, which begins Wednesday in Murfressboro, Tenn.
It was FAU’s first regular season conference championship since 2003, when the Owls were in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The Owls also won the A-Sun regular season conference championship in 1999 when the Owls went 54-9 and made the first of six NCAA Division I Regional Championships.
“We’ve been talking about this since Aug. 28,” said senior centerfielder Anthony Mesa. “It’s almost surreal and not kicking in yet. To actually accomplish what we talked about is unbelievable.”
The Owls only had to beat FIU to earn the regular-season title, but could have won the championship if they would have lost and Louisiana-Monroe had defeated Louisiana-Lafayette in a game played later Saturday night.
FAU’s victory means the Owls didn’t have to worry about the Warhawks and Ragin’ Cajuns.
“I just wanted to take care of business,” McCormack. “This is much sweeter because if I was watching at home they wouldn’t have dumped Gatorade on my head.”
GameBrowser: Florida Atlantic 14, Florida International 10
- Moving forward: Leadoff hitter Raymond Church was 2-for-5 with 3 RBI. …LF Nathan Pittman’s 4-RBI are a career high. …DH Colby Gratton was subbing for Eddie Cassidy at DH and was 2-for-5
- Moving backward: SS Nick DelGuidice was 0-for-5. …P Ryan Bernall was charged with 3 runs and didn’t get any of the three batters he faced out.
- Stat Download: FAU and FIU pitchers combined to hit eight batters.
- Up Next: FAU will be the No. 1 seed in the Sun Belt Conference, which begins Wednesday oin Murfreesboro, Tenn.
Re-Tweet Replay: Follow us on Twitter @FAUOwlAccess
- Alvarez almost got out of inning but he’s frustrated and Flores hits 3-run homer to right…FIU 5, FAU 3 Top 6
- Both teams have been warned about HBPs and Alvarez makes gesture to FIU dugout as he walks off the field. Getting tense here...FIU 5, FAU 3
- Mesa goes opposite field and his shot clears the fence in right. A 2-run shot for his 6th HR of the season…FIU 5, FAU 5 Bot 6
- FAU goes to the pen. Bernal in for Alvarez (6ip 4h 5r 4er 2bb 5so)…FIU 5, FAU 5 Top7
- Mesa dives to try and make circus catch of Bermudez line drive but misses. Ball gets by him and it’s an RBI triple…FIU 6, FAU 5 Top 7
- Bernal leaves after giving up RBI double to Alfonso. Adams in from the pen…FIU 7, FAU 5 Top 7
- First batter Adams faces, Wittels, hits RBI double to fence…FIU 8, FAU 5 Top 7
- FAU intentionally walks the bases loaded, PH Jobe hits harmless ground ball to third…FIU 8, FAU 5 Mid 7
- Owls get seven, with big hit a 3-run homer by Pittman and 2-RBI single by Mee…FAU 12, FIU 8 Top 8
- Golden Panthers pick up a run, but nice defensive play by Scheffler leads to inning-ending double play...FAU 12, FIU 9 Bot 8
- RBI single by Pittman plates Gratton. 4th RBI of game for Pittman. …FAU 13, FIU 9 Bot 8
- SAC fly by Bukovich gives the Owls a 5-run lead…FAU 14, FIU 9 Bot 8
- We go to the 9th with Mee on the mound and Owls 3 outs away from Sun Belt title…FAU 14, FIU 9 Top 9