Senior third baseman Jackson Ross’ pair of home runs and five RBIs led the way for the FAU Baseball team (4-0) as they traveled to Orlando and routed the University of Central Florida Knights (UCF) (3-1) 13-3 on Tuesday night. 

The 10-run win makes back-to-back victories over UCF for the Owls, after they took down the Knights 5-3 in Boca Raton in their third meeting last season.

FAU took the lead on the third pitch of the game, as sophomore shortstop Armando Albert led off with a homer to right-center field. Ross and junior center fielder Spencer Rich both picked up base hits plating two more. 

Albert later scored again in the third on a throwing error.

Senior left-hander Evan Waterbor gave up the only run he would allow on an RBI single in the third. His night came to close an inning later, as junior right-hander C.J. Williams came out of the bullpen in the bottom of the fifth. 

Two big innings on offense in the sixth and seventh put the Owls ahead by 8 runs. 

Ross knocked a two-run homer in the fifth, and a three-run blast by junior infielder Christian Adams capped a 5-run seventh inning for the Owls. UCF plated a run in both the sixth and seventh leaving the score at 11-3.

Ross’ second homer of the night, a two-run shot to center field in the eighth, pushed the Owls’ lead out to 10 runs.

Sophomore right-hander Bryan Boully took the mound in the bottom of the ninth and closed out the 10-run victory for FAU. 

The Owls will now return to Boca Raton to prepare for a three-game home set against the University of South Florida Bulls (1-3) starting on Friday, Feb. 24. 

Cameron Priester is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @PriesterCameron