April 4, 2006

Final Stats

MIAMI, FL - Two long balls forced extra innings for Florida Atlantic and the Owls scored five runs in the ninth to defeat South Florida rival Florida International 7-2 at University Park in Miami on Tuesday.

Sophomore Charlotte Baird (Hendersonville, Tenn.) blasted her first career home run over left center to stake FAU to a 1-0 lead with two outs in the fifth inning. Junior Shauna Corso (Seal Beach, Calif.) followed Baird's act with her second shot of the season with one out in the sixth, knotting the score 2-2.

Senior Danielle Arriaga (Miami, Fla.) opened the Owl ninth with a walk, junior Mandie Fishback (Banks, Ore.) followed with a single to left and freshman Kala Guy (Hollywood, Fla.) loaded the bases on a walk. Freshman Christine Houghtaling (Miami, Fla.) plated two runs with a single to left and two strikeouts and a walk later, junior Jenna Lopez (Orangeburg, N.Y.) delivered a bases-clearing double to left center to set the final margin.

Meghan Doonan (Wallingford, Conn.) went the distance for Florida Atlantic, allowing two unearned runs in the fifth inning. The junior struck out three, walked four and surrendered seven hits, moving to 3-0 on the year.

Florida Atlantic had its first significant threat of the game in the third inning when sophomore Melissa Moore (Miami, Fla.) was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning. One out later, a sacrifice bunt by Baird and a wild pitch had advanced pinch runner Marlene Lopez (Orangeburg, N.Y.) to third base.

Marlene Lopez was left stranded when senior Jessica Sachs (Chestnut Ridge, N.Y.) and twin sister Jenna Lopez went down on consecutive outs in the infield.

The fourth inning also presented an opportunity for the Owls when Corso reached on an infield single, moving to second on a sacrifice by Arriaga. This time, consecutive flies deep into the outfield - one to left off the bat of Fishback and the other to right by Guy - ended the threat.

Meanwhile, Doonan was cruising, allowing just one runner to reach second base during the first four innings. That runner, Kim Rodriguez, was gunned down at home plate by leftfielder Houghtaling while attempting to score from second on a single with two outs in the bottom of the second.

An error to open the fifth inning on a two-hopper back to Doonan led to the Golden Panthers' first run of the night. Pinch runner Cassie Parker took second on a sacrifice and then stole third.

A triple to right by Deomni Murray and bloop single to center by Tracey Deleon scored two unearned runs for FIU. With the score tied at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Doonan shut down a two-on, two-out threat by striking out Lauren Spiers.

Florida International mounted a threat in the bottom of the seventh as Jennifer Powell stroked a single to right center and an error by shortstop Arriaga allowed Powell to move to second off a grounder by Desiree Fink. Deleon grounded out to Arriaga to put runners on second and third with two outs and Doonan got Tabitha Embry swinging to close the door.

Both teams got runners on base in the eighth but neither could capitalize. A controversial double play ended Florida Atlantic's half of the inning when Corso struck out swinging and Sachs was called out due to interference while attempting to steal second, setting the stage for the ninth.

Penny Eastman took the loss, falling to 8-6 overall. Eastman worked 2 2/3 innings of relief and was responsible for all five runs that Florida Atlantic scored in the ninth.

Fishback had three hits in the game and was one of seven Owls to score a run. Lopez and Houghtaling were the only two players with multiple RBIs in the game, all coming in the ninth.

Florida Atlantic returns to action on Saturday at 1:00 p.m. in DeLand, Fla., facing Atlantic Sun foe Stetson in a conference doubleheader.