Owls Defeat Syracuse, Loses to Illinois The Owls split their two games at the USF Invitational on Friday. FAU beat Syracuse 6-4 in its first game of the day. The Owls scored four runs in the first inning with Kerri Croney, Rose Gressley and Brittany Walker all providing RBIs. Syracuse answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to cut FAUs lead in half. The Orange scored another run and had the tying run on base in the second to chase Amber Barton from the game. Taylor Fawbush came on in relief and was able to end the threat without allowing the tying run. Syracuse eventually tied the score in the fifth inning on an RBI base hit by Kelly Saco. Jessica Myers led off the sixth inning with a ground rule double and advanced on a Walker sacrifice before stealing home to regain the lead for FAU 5-4. The Owls added an insurance run in the seventh Blair Bodenmiller drove in Kirstin Austin with a base hit to center. Fawbush allowed a one-out single in the seventh before a double play ended the game for her fifth win of the year. FAU lost to Illinois 9-0 in its second game. The Owls fell behind early when Illinois scored three runs in the second inning, followed with two runs in third, fourth and fifth innings. Blair Bodenmiller had the only hit of the game with a ground rule double in the second inning. FAU continues at the USF Invitational on Saturday when they will play Ohio State and Long Island at 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. respectively.
