FAU Claims Suspended Game After UL Misses Chance to Extend Lead

Contact: Matt Hebert

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BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Ragin' Cajuns baseball team was left wondering how the outcome might have been different on Sunday afternoon in the suspended game of the Sun Belt series with Florida Atlantic had they been able to extend a 2-0 lead with runners on second and third and no outs in the top of the sixth inning.

The Cajuns (13-13, 3-5 Sun Belt) weren't able to do so and FAU (18-10, 7-1 Sun Belt) plated four runs in the bottom of the seventh to rally for a 5-2 victory which clinched the series for the Owls.

The Cajuns were able to chase FAU reliever Josh Gonzaga in the sixth inning after a Tyler Frederick single to left field and Jace Conrad double down the right field line, that hopped over the reach of FAU first baseman Mark Nelson, placed runners on second and third with no outs.

UL missed an opportunity to open a sizeable lead as FAU reliever Jake Meiers retired Dylan Butler on a line out to shortstop and struck out Daniel Nichols and Logan Preston to end the inning.

The Owls trimmed the Cajuns lead in half in the bottom of the sixth on a pinch hit single by Robert Buckley which scored Corey Keller who doubled with one out off of Chris Griffitt.

The first four FAU hitters that Cord Cockrell faced in the seventh inning reached base capped off by RBI singles from Mark Nelson and Corey Keller which pulled the Owls in front 3-2. Two more runs crossed, one on a Jordan Harrison wild pitch and the other on a fielder's choice grounder.

R.J. Alvarez tossed the final two innings for the Owls and posted four strikeouts to preserve the comeback.

The loss spoiled a remarkable effort by Griffitt who one day after tossing 36 pitches over two innings returned to the mound for the Cajuns and delivered another 65 pitches holding the Owls scoreless until the sixth inning.

Griffitt wound up with a season-high eight strikeouts and scattered five hits over 5 2/3 innings. The only run he was charged with crossed the plate after he was relieved by Matt Hicks in the sixth inning.

The two teams were set to wrap up the three-game series at approximately 12:50 p.m. (CDT). Louisiana designated Derek Howell, who posted zeros for the final 1 1/3 inning of the suspended contest, as the starter for the finale while the Owls went with scheduled starter Austin Gomber

When the contest resumed at 10 a.m. (CDT) in the top of the third inning, FAU was able to erase the Cajuns scoring opportunity when Ryan Leonards was tagged out at third base attempting to advance to third base on a Brian Bowman grounder.

Griffitt returned to the mound for the Cajuns and worked around a Mike Albaladejo leadoff single by notching back-to-back strikeouts.

The Cajuns gave Griffitt the lead in the fourth inning using a Conrad leadoff single and one-out double by Nichols to place a runner in scoring position for a Logan Preston sacrifice fly.

The Owls got the lead runner aboard off of Griffitt in the fourth inning and would later have runners on the corners after a wild pitch. Griffitt was able to force Geoff Jimenez to ground into a 6-4-3 double play to keep FAU off the scoreboard.

Louisiana used a pair of doubles in the fifth inning to produce another run and go up 2-0. With one out, Leonards doubled down the left field line then Chris Sinclair followed with a double over the reach of FAU left fielder Nathan Pittman to score Leonards.

BASES NOTED: The contest began on Saturday, March 31 at 3:49 p.m. (CDT) following a 49-minute weather delay…The squads played for 30 minutes, reaching the top of the third inning with no score…A second weather delay ensued at 4:20 p.m. (CDT) with Brian Bowman at the plate and Ryan Leonards on second base with one out…Louisiana resumed a suspended game for the first time since March 2009 when FAU was at “The Tigue” for a Sun Belt series…Brian Bowman stole second base in the third inning, increasing his season total to 16 stolen bases which is one shy of his personal season-best 17 set in 2010…Tyler Frederick extended his season-best hitting streak to eight games and Jace Conrad also extended a season-best hitting streak increasing his streak to seven with a single in the fourth inning…The loss extended the Cajuns' season-long losing streak to five games, a streak which dates back to a 6-4 loss to Arkansas State at “The Tigue” on Saturday, March 24…With the win, FAU evened the all-time series with the Cajuns at 8-8 and improved to 4-1 on its home turf against UL.

-- Ragin' Cajuns --

FAU Claims Suspended Game After UL Misses Chance to Extend Lead

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