A day after Florida Atlantic got pasted 16-1 by top-ranked Florida, the Owls doled out their own beatdown in the form of a 13-4 drubbing of Boston College last night.
The Owls broke a 1-1 tie with a seven-run third inning, including a three-run home run from freshman SS Ricky Santiago, his first career homer. Sophomore lefty Steve Green shouldered the loss, pitching 2.0 innings and failing to get out of the bottom of the third. Green gave up one earned run, three runs and three hits, walking one and striking out two. Green's replacement, freshman lefty Nick Poore, didn't fare much better in the third. Poore gave up five runs, five earned on four hits, a walk and a hit batter.
Senior RHP Kyle Prohovich went two innings in relief, striking out two and allowing just one hit and one walk.
With the Owls up 9-3 in the bottom of the eighth, freshman John Gorman went just 0.2 IP, giving up just two hits but one was a big one -- a Corey Keller grand slam that put the Owls up 13-4.
LF Andrew Lawrence lead the Eagles offense, going 1-for-4 with 2 RBIs. RF Mark Perdios went 2-for-4, scoring two of the Eagles four runs, while 2B Blake Butera went 2-for-4, including his first collegiate home run.
Now with a record of 6-5, is this Birdball coming back down to Earth a bit after their hot start in the Caravelle Resort Tournament? This team will likely only go as far as their young arms will take them, particularly the midweek starters. Take a look at the classes of the pitchers that threw in the loss to FAU:
0.2 IP -- Sophomore LHP
1.0 IP -- Freshman LHP
2.0 IP -- Senior RHP
1.2 IP -- Freshman RHP
0.2 IP -- Freshman RHP
0.2 IP -- Senior LF
Yes, even Andrew Lawrence pitched 2/3 of an inning last night. This team has the bats to compete, but it seems like BC will only go as far as their young arms will take them this year. We'll quickly find out whether Birdball is for real this year or if it's going to be more of the same as the Eagles open ACC play with a three-game series against 14th ranked Miami starting on Friday, March 9.