Softball: Kylee Hanson throws no-hitter, Owls sweep UTSA to close season

FAU is the top seed in the upcoming Conference USA Tournament.

Senior+pitcher+Kylee+Hanson+picked+up+her+first+loss+of+the+season+against+Kentucky%2C+but+still+stands+at+5-1+with+a+0.91+ERA.+Photo+by+Mohammed+F.+Emran

Senior pitcher Kylee Hanson picked up her first loss of the season against Kentucky, but still stands at 5-1 with a 0.91 ERA. Photo by Mohammed F. Emran

Brendan Feeney, Sports Editor

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lorida Atlantic softball finished its regular season with a sweep over the University of Texas at San Antonio, extending its winning streak to 18 straight games.

The Owls (47-7, 22-2 C-USA) junior ace Kylee Hanson recorded 13 strikeouts in Saturday’s opener. In the final game of the regular season on Sunday, she struck out 16 batters en route to her second no-hitter of the season — the third of her college career. She earned her 25th and 26th wins of the season.

Junior Amanda Wilson pitched the middle game of the series, striking out 10 batters and improving her 2016 record to 14-4.

FAU will be the No. 1 seed in the Conference USA Tournament which begins on Wednesday, May 11 in Denton, Texas. They will have a double-bye and automatically advance to Thursday, which will mark the start of the double-elimination format.

Game One: FAU 7, UTSA 1

The Owls exploded for three first-inning runs against UTSA in the series opener on Saturday. The only hit in the inning came from a Melissa Martinez two-run home run.

With the score still 3-0, sophomore shortstop Emily Lochten led off the fourth inning with a solo home run over the center field fence. FAU scored two more runs in the inning via a double off the bat of sophomore catcher Alex Miller.

Martinez singled in the Owls final run in the fifth inning.

UTSA scored one run off Hanson in the game’s final inning. She struck out 13 batters and only allowed four hits.

Game Two: FAU 3, UTSA 2

Junior pitcher Amanda Wilson ran into trouble in the seventh inning of Saturday’s second game.

Entering the frame with a three run lead, Wilson allowed two runners to score — both unearned — and the tying run to get to second base. She was able to force a fly out to end the game, picking up her 14th victory of the year.

The Owls captured a 1-0 lead in the first inning and carried that lead into the sixth inning. Martinez then hit her second home run of the day to put her team up three runs.

She hit 4-for-7 with two runs and five RBIs.

Game Three: FAU 4, UTSA 0

FAU scored two runs in the first inning on a Lochten single.

The team scored again in the third inning when senior third baseman Carnesha Thompson benefited from a throwing error and its final run came in when freshman Madisyn Palmer scored on a ground ball from junior right fielder Delaney Rickey in the seventh inning.

Brendan Feeney is the sports editor of the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @feeney42.