FAU stays alive with victory over FIU

Florida Atlantic’s baseball team used a big inning Thursday morning in the Conference USA tournament to extend its season another day.

FAU scored six runs in the sixth inning to stave off elimination and beat FIU 8-4. The Owls (34-20-1, 18-12 Conference USA) advanced to another elimination game against Old Dominion on Friday at 4 p.m.

In order to win the Conference USA title, FAU must win four consecutive games in the next three days. The Owls likely need to win the championship to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournament. FAU took two of three from Old Dominion last weekend.

The loss ended FIU’s season. The Panthers (31-27, 15-15) were winless in four games against the Owls this year.

“Now we just move on and at this point there’s no style points,” Owls coach John McCormack said. “You get no points for looking good or making good moves. Those things are all out the window; it’s just about winning games and trying to advance on for the championship and/or the NCAA Tournament.”

FIU right-hander Nick MacDonald cruised through the first five innings Thursday, staked to a 2-0 lead behind Nick Day’s two-run home run. But the Owls broke through in the sixth inning, loading the bases before Pedro Pages cleared them with a threerun double down the leftfield line.

After Eric Rivera walked, Jared Shouppe padded the FAU lead with a three-run home run over the right-field fence to give the Owls a 6-2 edge. It was Shouppe’s seventh homer of the season.

Counting its tournament-opening loss to Rice, FAU scored three runs in its previous 14 innings in Biloxi, Miss. It doubled that in the sixth inning alone.

For FAU, Esteban Puerta went 2-for-3 with two walks. His two-run double in the seventh inning gave FAU an 8-4 lead. Austin Langham (2-for-4 with a hit by pitch) and Sean Labsan (1-for-3 with two walks) each reached base three times.

Day led the Panthers by blasting two home runs and driving in all four of FIU’s runs.

FAU right-hander Alex House threw seven innings in relief to earn the victory Thursday. He gave up just one earned run on three hits and two walks. He struck out eight and threw 93 pitches.

House, who typically started Friday nights for the Owls, delivered his third straight stellar relief outing. In his past three appearances, House has thrown 13 innings and surrendered just two earned runs on eight hits and two walks. His ERA lowered to 4.71.

FAU could start lefthander Jake Miednik (6-4, 5.11 ERA) on Friday morning. Miednik last pitched Saturday, when he threw eight shutout innings against Old Dominion.