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BOCA RATON, Fla. – Florida Atlantic scored five runs in the middle three innings, breaking open an even 1-1 ballgame as the Owls prevailed in the rubber match 9-2 Sunday afternoon at FAU Stadium.
Louisiana (6-11, 1-5 Sun Belt) lost its second straight Sun Belt Conference series to start the 2008 season – a program first. Florida Atlantic improved to 10-6 overall, while moving to 3-1 in Sun Belt play.
Senior Brent Solich (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) fell as Sunday’s hard-luck loser, who was victimized for five runs on seven hits in five innings. Solich (0-3) left the game in the sixth with the bases loaded, but all three inherited runners went to his credit. Of the three Cajuns relievers used, senior John Zorich (Stafford, Va.) was the only one that didn’t allow a run, scattering two hits in 1 1/3 innings.
Florida Atlantic starting pitcher Michael Obradovich was tagged with the no-decision, lasting 4 1/3 innings. Obradovich allowed one run on four hits with two strikeouts on 54 total pitches. Reliever Mike Gipson (2-0) pitched effectively for 3 2/3 innings to finish as the game’s winning pitcher.
After going 0-for-6 in the first two games of the series, William Long (Valrico, Fla.) was the only Cajun to tag the Owls pitching staff for multiple hits, going a career-best 4-for-4 with a triple. Nolan Gisclair (Marrero, La.) extended his hitting streak to four games with a 2-for-4 performance.
Tom Hatcher paced the FAU offense, going 3-for-3 with a home run and three RBI. Three other Owls posted two hits each.
Solich conceded the game’s first run on Nick Arata’s sacrifice safety squeeze bunt which scored David Wilson for a 1-0 Florida Atlantic lead in the third inning. Wilson led off the Owls’ half of the frame with a double down the left field and advanced to third on a Matt Goulas (New Iberia, La.) fielding error.
Two batters later, Arata brought home Wilson with a perfectly-executed sacrifice bunt that skirted down the first base line to Tyler Benzel (Groveland, Fla.).
In the ensuing top half of the fourth inning, Louisiana launched its fourth home run of the weekend as Scott Hawkins (Collierville, Tenn.) delivered a rocket shot to the power alley in left-center. Hawkins’ solo homer provided the equalizer at 1-1, while giving the Preseason All-American his first hit in Sun Belt play.
Florida Atlantic matched Louisiana’s solo homer in the fifth as Tom Hatched drilled a four-bagger to centerfield to regain a one-run lead, 2-1.
Solich encountered early trouble in the sixth inning as the lefty allowed three straight singles to load the bases. Then, head coach Tony Robichaux turned to his bullpen and sophomore reliever Justin Robichaux (Crowley, La.). However, all three of Robichaux’s inherited runners scored as the Cajuns fell behind by four, 5-1. FAU added another run to extend its lead to five runs, 6-1.
Louisiana’s bullpen failed to keep Florida Atlantic off the scoreboard in the seventh. The Owls scored three runs on three hits to take a huge 9-1 lead.
Trailing by seven in the ninth, the Cajuns started a two-out rally which began with a pinch hit single up the middle by Dillon Guillory (Scott, La.). Long followed with his fourth hit of the afternoon – a single through the left side – and Josh Logan (Magee, Miss.) drew a walk to load the bases. Glen Troyanowski then sat down Goulas on a strikeout to end the contest.
Louisiana returns home briefly during its current road swing when the Ragin’ Cajuns host the Northwestern State Demons for “Turn Back the Clock Night” Tuesday at “The Tigue”. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. The nationally-ranked Rice Owls await the Ragin’ Cajuns for a Wednesday contest at Reckling Park in Houston.
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Chris Yandle
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