University of Louisville
at Florida Atlantic
Cards Dropped By Owls Friday
February 17, 2006 | Baseball
Feb. 17, 2006
BOCA RATON, Fla. - Florida Atlantic scored eight unanswered runs to seal a 13-4 win over the University of Louisville in game one of a three-game series on Friday night.
A tough-luck first inning for the Cardinals (0-2) saw FAU (3-4) string together three straight infield singles, the third of which was thrown away by third baseman Chris Dominguez to push across a run. A walk loaded the bases and Anthony Albano cleared them with a double to the gap in left for a 4-0 advantage.
Logan Johnson sent a ball deep over the scoreboard in right in the top of the second for his second home run of the year, cutting the lead to 4-1.
Chris Cates walked to open the third, and after a sacrifice by Boomer Whiting, Nick Haley plated Cates with a single to the alley in right, making it 4-2 FAU.
An RBI fielder's choice by Albano made it a three-run game again in the bottom of the third.
In the top of the fourth, two Owl errors and a walk loaded the bases and Whiting and Haley both singled home runs to make it a 5-4 ballgame, but that was all the closer the Cards could get.
After an error opened the bottom of the fourth, an RBI single by Tim Mascia and an RBI double off the bat of Ovy Ramirez chased Cardinal starter Trystan Magnuson, who dropped to 0-1 with the loss.
A bases-loaded double by Johathon Shapland highlighted a six-run fifth, sealing the win for the Owls.
Magnuson lasted 3.1 innings, allowing seven runs on eight hits and two walks, striking out three.
He was replaced by Jon Harbridge, who surrendered five runs, four of which were earned on two hits and three walks in an inning of work.
Ryne Mantooth worked two-thirds of an inning in his Cardinal debut, allowing a run on a hit and a walk.
Sophomore Zack Pitts made an impressive season debut, retiring the first five he faced, on his way to three innings of scoreless one-hit baseball. He struck out three.
FAU starter Mickey Storey (1-1), the 2005 Collegiate Baseball Freshman Pitcher of the Year, picked up the win, working six innings in which he gave up four runs, two of which were earned, on seven hits and two walks while fanning ten.
Three Owl relievers combined for three innings of one-hit ball.
Cates was 2 for 2 with a pair of walks, while Haley had three hits, driving in two.
The Cardinals will send David Torcise to the hill for the Duke transfer's Cardinal debut. He will be opposed by FAU's lefty Chris Salberg (1-0, 3.48 ERA) for a 7:00 p.m. first pitch in game two Saturday night.
