Non-conference play has come to a close for FAU softball and they are set to begin a 3 game series with Wichita State Friday evening at home. It has been a strong finish for the Owls as they currently sit at 21-4 and after a loss to UCF on February 26th they have rattled off 6 wins in their last 7 games and look to be rolling with momentum headed into a pivotal AAC opening series against the Shockers.
The Owls embarked on their second road series of the season last weekend, heading to Austin Peay for the Governors Classic and although they lost to the Hometown team in Austin Peay, they outscored their other 4 opponents 44-9. Following that series, they could have taken the easy route and headed home for rest prior to Toledo and conference play this weekend, however they went to Middle Tennessee State for a monday night battle and came out on top 4-3 in a nail-biter, as Ainsley Lambert slammed the door shut in the final few innings. Just 2 days later, FAU returned home and defeated Toledo 13-0, run-ruling the Rockets in 5 innings and closing out the non-conference slate on a major high note.
Now headed into conference play, the Owls will look to handle business against the Shockers, as they currently sit 24th in the NFCA coaches poll and with a good weekend they could potentially move up in the polls.
Before FAU embarks on their pursuit to defend their AAC title from a year ago, here are 3 takeaways from the Owls final week of non-conference play.
FAU may have the AAC rookie of the year (again)
Last year for FAU, Kiley Channell made her impact right away as a freshman and went on to win AAC rookie of the year and following the Owls weekend trip to Tennessee, the Owls may have another contender in Destiny Johns. Johns finished the 6 game slate with a .500 batting with 15 RBIs, taking her season totals up to a .311 batting average with 4 HRs and 21 RBIs and following the weekend she earned AAC honorable mention.
Her monster weekend started right away, as against Morehead State on Friday, she finished 2 for 3 with 4 RBIs, recording a double and a triple, while in the second game of the double header against Northern Kentucky, she went 2 for 4 with 4 RBIs, sending a 3 run home run over the right-center field wall that broke the game open in the 4th. In the Saturday slate, she opened up their second game against NKU with a 3 for 4 day with 4 RBIs, adding 2 more extra base hits and although she went RBI-less against Austin Peay in the second half of their double header, she added 2 more hits to her total. The only game Johns did not record a hit in during the Owls last 7 games was their 9-0 win over Morehead State on Sunday, however she added an RBI to her tally and set herself up for a pair of big mid-week matchups.
In the Owls monday night squeaker against MTSU, Johns added 2 more RBIs with a RBI single in the first that gave FAU all they needed in a 4-3 victory, while against Toledo on Wednesday Johns finished 2 for 3 with 3 more RBIs, adding another extra base hit to her monster 7 game stretch. That performance capped off a dominant close to the non-con slate for Johns and it sets her up for a chance to compete for the AAC rookie of the year.
Although Johns dominated during the 7 game stretch, another freshman in Bella Foran has also been on a tear, as she currently leads the team with a .486 batting average, also tallying 10 RBIs and 16 runs scored on the year. Between Johns and Foran, the Owls have a strong chance at taking home the AAC rookie of the year for the second year in a row.
Pitching Staff dominates
Jordan Clark has mentioned before that she believes she has 3 aces on her pitching staff between Gabby Sacco, Jaden Martinez and Autumn Courtney and combined with Ainsley Lambert, this pitching staff dominated the final stretch of the non-conference slate.
The domination started right away, as Autumn Courtney pitched a complete game in the Owls Friday matchup against Morehead State, allowing only 4 hits while striking out 6 and walking only 1, while in the second half of the double header against Northern Kentucky, Gabby Sacco also pitched a complete game, striking out 5 and walking none. On Saturday, Courtney was solid once again, picking up her second win in as many starts, while not allowing an earned run, striking out 8 and walking two, and although Sacco struggled in the Owls loss to Austin Peay, Jaden Martinez and Ainsley Lambert combined for 5 and a third innings of 1 run ball, striking out 5 and walking only one.
The next 2 games saw the solid pitching continue, as on Sunday Jaden Martinez struck out 11 in a complete game shutout against Morehead State and on Monday in a 4-3 win over MTSU, Courtney struck out 10 over 5 innings and Ainsley Lambert came on in the 6th and preserved the one run lead by retiring 6 in a row. In the 13-0 win over Toledo, Sacco bounced back from her struggles against Austin Peay, as she pitched a complete game shutout while allowing only 3 hits.
This FAU squad is dangerous when their hitting and pitching is combining to perform at a high level and during their last 6 wins they have gotten great production all around.
Even-keeled Owls
One of the best traits FAU has possessed so far this season has been their ability to not let their wins get them over confident, or allow their losses to bring them down. There has been their fair share of big moments for FAU so far this season, however there have also been some losses which could have been easy to hang their head after, but they never have and it has allowed them to play with an even-keeled approach where their energy doesn’t change no matter the outcome.
Most recently, it would have been easy for FAU to collapse after their loss to Austin Peay, as they were in the middle of a road trip prior to two mid-week matchups, one of which was also on the road. The Owls bounced back in a big way following that loss however, winning their final game of the tournament 9-0, defeating MTSU in a standalone game 4-3, and heading home to dominate Toledo 13-0 in their final game of the non-conference slate.
Big wins and brutal losses are going to occur no matter what during a long season, however the key is to take it one game at a time and that is exactly what FAU has been able to do. Heading into AAC play, the Owls will need to maintain that mentality, as they look to repeat as AAC regular season champions.
Up Next: 3 game series with Wichita State 3/7-3/9
Shockers Record: 10-9
Key Wins: RV. Liberty, Colgate
Bad Losses: South Dakota State, San Diego State (all other losses came vs P4)
Key Pitcher: Chloe Barber, 11Games-7Starts, 2-5, 3.02 ERA, 44SO-31BB
Key Hitters: Lauren Lucas, .377 BAA, 3 HR 11RBIs, Taylor Sedlacek, .346 BAA, 4HRs 12RBIs