May 22, 2008

Box Score |  Quotes

LAFAYETTE, LA - Alex Silversmith's grand slam in the seventh inning broke open a tie game, allowing Florida Atlantic University a 12-7 victory over Middle Tennessee State University on the second day of the Sun Belt Conference Baseball Championship in Lafayette, Louisiana.

Florida Atlantic (30-26-1) advances to play again Friday, and assures retiring head coach Kevin Cooney and the Owls' program of its 10th consecutive 30-win season.

Middle Tennessee State (27-29-1) had surrendered a 7-2 ninth-inning lead en route to losing a heart-breaking 8-7 game yesterday to top-seeded University of Louisiana-Monroe. With two tournament losses, the Blue Raiders' season is now over.

FAU struck for three runs in the first inning off MTSU righty Chad Edwards. Daniel Cook's two-RBI single scored both Mike McKenna and Silversmith to put FAU up 3-0.

Cook drove in three runs, McKenna went 2-for-4 and Silversmith enjoyed a 4-for-5, five-RBI day for FAU.

Facing FAU's senior starter Michael Obradovich (6-4), Blake McDade led off the bottom of the first inning hitting a ball deep and out to right field- a solo home run, his sixth.

Nathan Hines hit a game-tying two-run double off Obradovich during a four-run third inning that gave the Blue Raiders a 5-3 lead. Hines' double on a 3-1 pitch, his 18th, made Obradovich pay for walking the first two batters of the inning.

FAU's offense was given an opportunity to rally thanks to three straight scoreless innings thrown by Obradovich after MTSU's four-run third.

With Edwards (4-3) still working in the seventh, a one-out walk and subsequent singles by David Wilson and Nick Arata loaded the bases for Jeremy Griffiths. Griffiths drew a run-scoring walk to cut the lead to 5-4, and Edwards was lifted before McKenna came to the plate with a chance to give FAU the lead.

McKenna greeted right-handed reliever Tyler Hyde with a single, which evened the game 5-5 and three pitches later Silversmith hit a towering grand slam homer into the trees beyond the wall and raised billboard in left field.

Obradovich seemed to get more effective as the game went on, retiring nine straight before allowing a seventh-inning solo home run to Dennis.

"To be honest that was a real key for us," said Cooney about Obradovich's efforts in the middle innings. "He was a hair's breath away from being removed. But then suddenly he had a four pitch inning... and he really settled in which was a very, very important thing for us. We didn't have to go to our bullpen too early."

Obradovich won his team-leading sixth game. He gave-way to freshman closer Glen Troyanowski with two outs in the seventh. Troyanowski induced an inning-ending flyball to preserve a 9-6 FAU edge with two innings to play.

The FAU bullpen received help in the form of three FAU insurance runs in the top of the ninth.

GAME NOTES: Florida Atlantic will face the WKU-ULM loser Friday... FAU had lost its opening-round game, 9-0, to No. 5 Western Kentucky... Silversmith's grand slam was FAU's seventh of the season... The Owls entered postseason play ranked 5th nationally in home runs (88) and home runs per game (1.73)... Troyanowski, FAU's most reliable relief pitcher, made his first appearance since injury had sidelined him following FAU's April 16th home game vs. No. 1 Miami... MTSU is eliminated, losing yesterday to No. 1 ULM in its first game of the tournament, 8-7... The game began at 9 a.m. local time.

-Nick Mirkovich (FAU Media Relations)-