Florida Atlantic University (17-8) ended the month of March on a good note, defeating Bethune-Cookman University (15-14) 12-7 on Wednesday, March 30, at FAU stadium. The victory is the FAU baseball team’s 1,100th win since it was established in 1981.
The Owls’ defended their home turf once again and improved their winning streak to six games by holding off BCU and clinching the with with some eighth-inning heroics. FAU started the game with a lead, as the first inning’s scoreboard read 4-0 with leftfielder Alex Hudak starting the scoring with an RBI. First baseman Dan Scheffler followed his teammate with an RBI of his own, just days after suffering a head injury in Friday night’s game vs. Middle Tennessee.
Scheffler has not played since the Friday game. He took a couple days off to ensure his vision would return.
“I’m moving if a fastball is coming my way,” joked Scheffler.
BCU did not get on the board until their designated hitter Anthony Strokes drove home DJ Leonard at the top of third inning. To hold off the Wildcats, second baseman Raymond Church, shortstop Nick Delguidice, and Scheffler teamed up for a double play.
In the fourth inning, catcher Mike Spano answered the BCU run by stealing home off a designed play to create the 5-1 FAU lead. The bottom of the fifth inning contained more FAU runs when Scheffler hit an RBI double to bring Hudak home.
Delguidice acquired his 23rd RBI for the season when he drove Scheffler home. Third baseman Joey Burkhalter added on to more runs when he guided Eddie Cassidy and Delguidice home, increasing the FAU lead to 9-1.
The Bethune-Cookman Wildcats put together a ferocious seventh inning with RBIs from both Paul Biocic and Brashad Johnson. With the bases loaded, first baseman Ryan Durrence hit a homer to give BCU a grand slam and pull them within two of the Owls.
“We actually played with a lot adversity this year,” said Alex Hudak when asked about the seventh inning grand slam. “I think that was like the fourth or maybe fifth grand slam [other teams] hit off us.”
To hold off the Wildcats’ Hudak gained his eighth straight hit in the eighth inning. He was later brought home by Scheffler with an RBI double. Scheffler and Delguidice later walked home when BCU suffered from pitching struggles. The runs sealed the 12-7 victory for the Owls.
“If one guy steps up, all of us step up,” said Hudak when asked about eighth inning answer.
FAU will travel for its first out-of-state game of the season and play Louisiana next.
