Thursday, April 13, 2006

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (April 13, 2006) - The Florida Atlantic pitching staff scattered just four hits over two games, while the potent Owl offense pounded out 25 hits in Thursday's 7-2, and 12-1 victories over ETSU at Metro-Kiwanis Park.  With the doubleheader sweep, FAU improves to 19-21 overall, 6-4 in the Atlantic Sun.  The Lady Bucs fall to 13-30, 2-8 in conference, dropping their eight-consecutive decision.

FAU's Kathryn Stauffer picked up the win in game one, moving to 7-13 on the season.  After giving up a lead-off single to Stephanie Gaynord (Manassas, Va.), Stauffer proceeded to retire the next 15 ETSU batters, before allowing a solo homerun from Melissa McCall (Kingsport, Tenn.) in the sixth.  The round trip was McCall's first career long ball.

Stauffer pitched a stellar 6.0 innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run, while fanning five Lady Bucs.  Teammate Jen Musillo took the mound in the seventh and struck out the side.  FAU plated the winning run in the third, when a Mandie Fishbank single scored Jenna Lopez.

Brittney Lehrschall (Leland, N.C.) took the loss for the Lady Bucs, allowing nine hits and seven runs in 4 2/3 innings of work.  Courtney Jenkins (Knoxville, Tenn.) was solid in 2 1/3 innings of relief, giving up just two hits and holding the Owls scoreless.

FAU came out swinging in game two, shelling Lady Bucs' hurler Mary Catherine Vercoe (Signal Mountain, Tenn.) for four runs and five hits in the first inning alone.  Danielle Arriaga got the scoring started, slamming a two-run double to left to score Shauna Corso and Jessica Sachs. 

Kala Guy knocked in Arriaga with a sacrifice fly, before Lauren Crandell singled home Fishbank for the Owls' fourth run of the inning.  Fishbank had an all-around good day for the Owls, going 4-for-6 in two games, with five RBIs and four runs scored.

ETSU got its only score of the game in the third, thanks to an RBI double from Jessie Hackworth (Clinton, Tenn.) that plated Kate Powell (Johnson City, Tenn.).

FAU would pour on five runs in the fourth, and three in the fifth, claiming the contest in five innings.

Vercoe (5-12) picked up the loss after just one complete inning on the mound, allowing six hits and four runs in just 11 batters faced.  Jenkins and Lehrschall both stepped in the circle in game two, but neither could cool the hot-hitting Owls, who tallied 14 base knocks on the game.

FAU's Meghan Doonan got the win to improve to 4-1.  Doonan allowed just two hits and one run, while striking out four.

ETSU continues its Atlantic Sun home stand on Saturday, taking on Mercer at Metro-Kiwanis Park.  The opening game of the doubleheader is set for 1 p.m.