SPORTS- BASEBALL
Through 24 games, FAU’s baseball team has won each three-game series they have played in. But the team’s 15-9 start has not only placed the Owls in third place of the Sun Belt Conference, it has also boosted their confidence heading into the second half of the season.
The Owls (6-3 in conference play) will be hoping to carry some of that confidence into the challenging games that lie ahead, including pressure-filled matches against University of Miami, Middle Tennessee and rival FIU.
“I think we’ve played good, but not great,” said head coach John McCormack. “We’ve let a few games slip through our fingers, but other than that, things are going well.”
Junior right fielder Andy Mee is one of the team’s top players thus far. Mee is batting .386 with 22 runs and 20 runs batted in (RBIs). He has shown his talent not only on the field, but on the mound as well. Mee has pitched and closed for four saves and one win.
“If I’m up to bat, then I focus on that,” Mee told FAU Owl Access Radio. “If we do get the lead, then I focus on pitching and get loose in the right field corner.”
On the mound, junior right-hand pitcher Mike Gipson leads the charge with a 5-0 record and a 2.09 earned run average (ERA). He has pitched two shutout games so far. His first came on his season opener, a 3-0 win against Cincinnati, and the second in an 11-0 conference triumph over University of Arkansas at Little Rock.
“He’s having a great year and deserves it,” said McCormack. “He works hard and sets the tone for the rest of the guys.”
The team’s co-captains, sophomore catcher Mike Albaladejo and senior right-hand pitcher Lou Morey, have had solid first halves to the season, too. Albaladejo is batting .288 with 17 runs and eight RBIs, while Morey has a 1.04 ERA.
“They’ve done well so far,” said McCormack. “Mike is the vocal guy, and Lou is the silent leader. It’s like fire and ice, and they’ve done a good job.”
Last season, the Owls struggled on the road, and the upcoming road schedule looks to provide numerous stiff challenges. FAU still needs to play Miami, South Alabama, University of Louisiana at Monroe and University of Florida as visitors.
With the stats that have been produced, the team is extremely confident in doing well on the road and continuing in their path toward the playoffs. But if FAU hopes to make the postseason, they will need to finish the season as strongly as they started it.
“This is the fun part of the season,” said McCormack. “We just have to keep doing what we’re doing. We need to stay even-keeled, not look too far ahead, and take one game at a time.”
