By: Tobey Schulman
After taking back to back losses by the run-rule, FAU looked to get in the win column and still have a chance to take the series against UTSA. Trey Beard delivered another very solid pitching outing, and the Owls played a solid game as a whole. However, a catcher’s interference call in the tenth inning gave UTSA the game winning run.
UTSA opened up the scoring in the first inning yet again. Caleb Hill doubled to score Alexander Olivo to give the Roadrunners an early 1-0 lead. Trey Beard would settle in for FAU after the early run, and hold UTSA scoreless until the fifth inning, where a hit-by-pitch plated another run to make it a 2-0 game.
Beard would end his final start of the regular season with a stat-line of 5.0 innings pitched, allowing four hits, two runs, two walks, two hit batters, and five strikeouts. He’d hand the ball off to Sam Drumheller who in his record breaking 100th appearance for FAU would turn a stat-line of 3.0 innings pitched, no hits, no runs, one walk, and six strikeouts.
The Owls running out of time began putting something together in the eighth. Singles from Emilio Gonzalez and Brando Leroux gave FAU life on the basepaths. Senior Jalen DeBose would single to right center field to score Gonzalez, cutting the Roadrunner lead to one. A John Schroeder sacrifice flyout would then bring in Leroux to tie the game up at 2-2.
Danny Trehey would come in for FAU and after a scoreless ninth, would come back out for the tenth inning. An error and a couple of walks from FAU would load the bases up for UTSA, and in an extremely bad break for the Owls, Tye Odom would reach base by catcher’s interference, giving UTSA a 3-2 lead.
FAU wouldn’t be able to plate the game tying run in the bottom half of the tenth, ultimately falling to UTSA in game two by one run. Although it comes as another disappointing loss, the Owls gave it everything they had on senior night. Trey Beard looked phenomenal to end the regular season, and it’ll be interesting to see how much he improves in the offseason. FAU now most likely needs to take the final game of the series to make the conference tournament in Clearwater.