FAU softball’s undefeated streak came to an end during the Joan Joyce classic this past weekend, however the Owls picked up multiple key wins as well and are off to their best since 2016. The Owls 9-2 start is their 4th start of that record or better since 2000 and 7th overall, as they also did it 3 times within the first 5 years of the program from 1997-1999.
The Owls win streak reached 7 games following their Thursday night 13-4 run-rule inducing victory over Minnesota, however it came to a halt just a day later, as they fell 1-0 to Villanova Friday afternoon in a pitchers duel which the Owls found themselves on the bad side of despite only allowing 1 unearned run. They didn’t let that loss phase them, as they bounced back on Saturday, defeating NC State 4-3 behind a bases clearing double from Chloe Yeatts and dominating appearance out of the pen from Ainsley Lambert and blanking Dartmouth in the night-cap 2-0 backed by a complete game 2 hit shutout from Autumn Courtney where she struck out 9 and walked none.
Although the Owls bounced back in Saturday’s games, on Sunday they ran into a Louisville team who was off to a red-hot start and despite getting multi-hit games from the top 3 hitters in their order, the Owls fell 4-0, as Louisville got a complete game shutout from Alyssa Zabala. The two losses are obviously not the result FAU would like, however Villanova and Louisville are two programs that typically qualify for a regional and it’s possible these losses aren’t too harmful to a potential resume at the end of the year.
Next up for FAU will be regional rival FIU, as the Panthers head to Boca off to a hot start of their own and the Owls will be looking to grab a midweek win before embarking on their first road tournament of the season, heading to Deland for a road battles with LIU, Stetson, and Marist. Below will be takeaways from the Owls 3-2 finish in the Joan Joyce Classic, as well as a look ahead at FIU, LIU, Stetson and Marist.
Takeaways
Ainsley Lambert dominates out of the bullpen
Ainsley Lambert mentioned in her season opening press conference that being in a full time closer role last season helped develop her skills, as well as overall confidence and she showed every bit of that during the Joan Joyce classic this weekend. Lambert made 2 appearances this weekend and was lights out in both of them, pitching 6.2 innings, allowing no runs and only one hit, while striking out 8 and only walking one.
She made her first appearance against Villanova and although it ultimately ended in a loss, Lambert was a major factor in the Owls having a chance to tie or comeback in the bottom of the 7th. Lambert took over in the bottom of the 4th with 2 runners on base and only one away and she stranded both of them, ending a Wildcats rally and keeping them at bay for the rest of the game.
With the Owls needing a bounce back win a day later they called upon Lambert out of the ‘pen once again and she delivered, coming on in the 5th and pitching 3 scoreless in a 1-run game, giving the Owls their 5th win against a power opponent this season. FAU has had really solid pitching this season and Lambert is behind a lot of that, as she has come on multiple times already this season and has yet to allow an earned run across 10.2 innings pitched.
Dominating pitching will win the Owls games this season and if FAU is able to continually get strong outings out of the bullpen from Lambert, they will continue to be a tough team to beat.
New Owls continue to rake
Although the Owls didn’t finish this stretch undefeated, that didn’t stop their new additions from making an impact with their bats once again. FAU got 5 multi-hit games combined between their new additions and without their efforts this weekend may have got a lot differently for the hometown team.
It started during the Owls offensive barrage against Minnesota, as Ciara Gibson recorded 2 hits overall and in the second inning she sent a bullet 3-run homer over the right field wall, setting the tone for an offensive barrage that continued from there, as Bella Foran also recorded 2 hits, recording RBI singles in the 3rd and 4th inning. Although the Owls 1-0 loss to Villanova a day later didn’t yield much offensively, Bella Foran, Chloe Yeatts and Kiley Shelton accounted for 3 out of the Owls 4 hits on the day.
In the bounceback Saturday slate, the new Owls were productive once again, as against NC State Bella Foran recorded another 2 hit game, however it was Chloe Yeatts who stole the show with a 3-run RBI double in the 3rd which gave the Owls all the offense they needed for the victory, while in the night-cap against Dartmouth Bella Foran continued her productive series, recording another multi-hit performance. Louisville got the best of FAU during their 4-0 win on Sunday, however freshman Destiny Johns had 2 hits and Bella Foran also recorded a hit, extending her hit streak to 7 games.
The production FAU has gotten from their new additions has been everything FAU Coach Jordan Clark expected, and then some, and the Owls will look to continue that against FIU, as well as during their first road trip of the season this weekend.
It’s hard to be perfect
Perfection is obviously the goal when you get off to the start that FAU did, however this weekend’s Joan Joyce Classic proved how difficult it is to remain unbeaten. The Owls did good things in their losses to Villanova and Louisville, however in a game that comes down to every little thing, the Owls came up short.
In the loss to Villanova, a fielding error by FAU yielded the Wildcats only run of the day and that was all Nova’s freshman ace Lexi Kobryn needed as she pitched a complete game shutout. FAU was able to get solid performances from both Autumn Courtney and Ainsley Lambert and they had a chance to tie in the 7th, however they came up just short, but they didn’t let that phase them which was important.
Against Louisville, FAU recorded 11 hits on the day, which was 5 more than the Cardinals, however Louisville capitalized when they had runners in scoring position and the Owls were unable to. Games where you’re seeing the pitcher but unable to capitalize like what happened against Louisville are bound to happen, just like facing off against an ace and being unable to string hits together can happen as it did against Villanova, the key for FAU will be not letting that happen consistently.
Up Next:
Wednesday: vs FIU 6 PM
Record: 6-4
Key Pitcher: Brooke McNichols 3-1, 1.98 ERA, 9SO-6BB
Key Hitter: Collier Peaden, .433 6 RBIs
Key Wins: Indiana, Iowa State, Boise State
Stetson Invitational 2/21-2/23
GM 1. Friday: vs LIU 9:30 AM
Record: 1-8
Key Pitcher: Sophia Mariottinni 1-2, 3.23 ERA, 11SO-5BB
Key Hitter: Devon Medina, .259 1 RBI
Key Win: Indiana State
GM 2. Friday: vs Stetson 3 PM
Record: 8-3
Key Pitcher: Ava Braswell 3-0, .40 ERA, 11SO-5BB
Key Hitter: Gia Napoli, .464, 5 RBIs
Key Wins: Chattanooga, Wofford, Fairfield
Gm 3. Saturday: vs LIU 9:30 AM
Record: 1-8
Key Pitcher: Sophia Mariottinni 1-2, 3.23 ERA, 11SO-5BB
Key Hitter: Devon Medina, .259 1 RBI
Key Win: Indiana State
GM 4. Saturday: vs Marist 12:00 PM
Record: 7-2
Key Pitcher: Kiley Myers 4-0, 0.94 ERA, 11SO-2BB
Key Hitter: Milah Mcdonald, .533, 2 HR, 10 RBIs
Key Wins: Bucknell, Notre Dame
GM 5. Sunday: vs Stetson 12:30 PM
Record: 8-3
Key Pitcher: Ava Braswell 3-0, .40 ERA, 11SO-5BB
Key Hitter: Gia Napoli, .464, 5 RBIsKey Wins: Chattanooga, Wofford, Fairfield