Sometimes in sports, a battle occurs between two teams so talented that what ends up being the difference is which side is able to hold off the other’s greatness the longest.
That was the case today in the first round of the NCAA Gainesville regional, as FAU battled hard in their first regional matchup since 2016, sending out Gabby Sacco to the circle who matched Olivia Lackie pitch for pitch in the early innings. Unfortunately for the Owls, the hitting never broke through, eventually falling to South Alabama 1-0, who were helped by a complete game shutout from Lackie. After the game, FAU Coach Jordan Clark talked about the frustration of this game, while also mentioning the team is ready for their next opportunity.
“That one hurts. The frustrating part is we had every opportunity to execute. You come this far, and you think you are ready for certain situations and to know those big moments got bigger than what they should have been, is frustrating but Gabby pitched her absolute butt off. To see her pitch on that stage is something I get to walk away really proud of. Just to know we had a little bit of fight left in us in that 7th inning, you know I probably could have done some things differently with some roster stuff. But we’re excited for our opportunity tomorrow,” Coach Clark said.
The first few innings in this one featured a classic pitchers duel, as Lackie and Sacco were both throwing 1 hitters through 4 innings. Lackie didn’t allow a runner in scoring position through the first 4, and while Sacco worked around a few batters with walks, she was able to work in and out of trouble a few times without allowing a run. Although the Runners in scoring position may add pressure to some, after the game Sacco talked about how competing doesn’t change even if a runner gets on.
“Just going back to competing, even though a runner got on. Just keep going at their hands and commanding that change up,” Sacco said.
Both sides almost broke through in the 5th, as the Owls got the bases loaded with 2 away but were unable to work some 2 out magic, as Presley Leebrick was able to get a ball in the air, but it ultimately found the glove of Bailey Welch in left field to end the inning. USA was able to get the first 2 batters of the inning on base, which set them up for arguably their best hitter in, Gabby Stagner.
Sacco got Stagner to pop out to short on 1 pitch, struck out the cleanup hitter in Branstetter, and to end the inning Presley Leebrick made an incredible diving play in foul territory in right to strand the runners. This team was doing anything they could to stay in the game and plays like that diving catch were just part of it, according to Presley Leebrick who spoke on it after the game.
“It goes back to Gabby was doing an awesome job, so whatever we could do to help her get out of those jams, a lot of the time that’s tough. Some of those pitches we thought we needed, so people were getting on, but we still needed to find way to have her back to get her out, because she was doing an awesome job,” Leebrick said.
The 6th was where USA was finally able to break through, as in the bottom half of the inning Bailey Welch led off with a walk, and Cordova bunted her to second which set up Stephanie Gonzalez with a runner on second and 1 out. For the first, and only time all game, USA came through, as Gonzalez sent a double over the head of Kylie Hammonds in left field, scoring Welch from second and putting South Alabama up 1-0 in the bottom of the 6th. Gonzalez was 0-2 heading into that at-bat, and after the game she explained the success in her final at bat was just a culmination of everything she learned throughout the game.
“It’s just learning from my first 2 at-bats, really. My First at bat got jammed, gotta get out in front. My second at-bat, down the middle and I still missed it, and I was like look we got to dig in and attack, and my third at bat just went in there and just attacked that pitch,” Gonzalez said.
As Coach Clark mentioned, the Owls brought their fight club mentality in the top of the 7th, getting their first 2 batters of the inning on via singles, and the next batter Maddie Mayo dropped a great bunt down the 3rd base line, however USA was prepared and they were in alignment to have the 3rd baseman scoop up the bunt and fire to the shortstop covering 3rd, getting the lead runner and first out of the inning.
After Becca Jones struck out to bring up 2 away, Holly Peluso pinch ran for Kate De Leon at second, and it brought up Kylie Hammonds with 2 on and 2 out. Hammonds delivered, plating a single into right field and setting up the speedy Peluso with a play at the plate, which unfortunately for the Owls didn’t go in their favor. Peluso was gunned down at the plate 9-2 on a bang bang play, but after review, the call on the field stood, ending the game in a 1-0 USA victory. The Owls had opportunities to execute earlier in the game but fell short and after the game, Coach Clark gave her thoughts on those situations.
“It was just a couple things where we choosing to score in the 5th, and hoping that it gets some momentum going and that’s on me ultimately, I wouldn’t always change it, you can’t live the ‘woulda-coulda-shoulda’ phase but, I wish we would have executed in the 5th and we didn’t have to feel that in the 7th. As far as sending the runners, I’m going to send them every time and I think that’s the part that’s made us win 41 games, we play fast, we play aggressive, with that it’s going to work, and it’s not sometimes. We set ourselves up, and Kiley to come up with that hit is huge for her, especially being a sub off the bench,” Coach Clark said.
It’s a tough way to start for FAU, as now they are on the brink of elimination and will match up with another team staring down the elimination barrel in FGCU. After the game, Coach Clark gave her thoughts on FGCU, mentioning the difficulty of playing a team in a separate series twice.
“They’re a good opponent, they’re a familiar foe. To play somebody and beat them once and to have to play and to have to play them again and beat them again is going to be tough. So, the first go-around it was a close game, and we respect them a ton and they’ve had a super successful season. So, it’s hard playing people you know, but that’s also the fun part in it. It’s going to come down to who’s going to execute in those moments tomorrow,” Coach Clark said.
The Owls will take on FGCU at 3:30 PM est on Saturday, and with a win will face the winner of USA/UF.