Baseball2010 NCAA Men's College World Series
Baseball2010 NCAA Men's College World Series
NCAA Gainesville Regional
Saturday, June 4, 2010
Alfred A. McKethan Stadium
Game 3 ? Florida Atlantic 12, Bethune-Cookman 6
With their backs against the wall, the Florida Atlantic University baseball team responded on Saturday.? In an elimination game on day two of the Gainesville Regional, FAU recorded a season high 18 hits in a 12-6 win over Bethune-Cookman at McKethan Stadium.?
The Owls (36-23) got off to a good start in the top of the first after three straight two-out base hits gave FAU a 1-0 lead.? Eddie Cassidy finished off the rally with a clean single up the middle that scored Andy Mee.
Trailing 5-0, the Wildcats (35-22) broke through in the third with three runs off FAU starter Ryan Garton.? All of the runs were earned off Garton, who allowed five hits in the inning.?
Despite the hiccup, the right-hander settled down and gave FAU seven quality frames while earning his seventh victory of the year.? Garton (7-3) allowed five runs off 11 hits with two walks and five strikeouts.?
FAU tacked on two runs in both the seventh and eighth innings to pull away late.? The big blow came in the eighth when Anthony Mesa doubled home two runs with the bases loaded to put the game out of reach at 12-5.???
Mesa and Raymond Church each hit solo home runs and Dan Scheffler added three hits as every FAU starter with the exception of Mike Albaladejo recorded at least one base hit.?
Albaladejo?s career-long hitting streak was halted at nine games after the catcher went 0-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in the victory.??
Mesa and Sean Bukovich also paced FAU with three RBI each.?
As a team, FAU broke a program NCAA Regional record with four doubles and tied a regional record with 18 hits.?
The victory also earns FAU another game in the Gainesville Regional on Sunday in another elimination affair.
The Owls will take on the loser of the Florida-Oregon State matchup that will be played later this evening.? FAU fell to Oregon State 6-4 on Friday and also lost to Florida 7-3 back on May 12 in Gainesville.?
First pitch on Sunday is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Alfred A. McKethan Stadium at Perry Field.?
If FAU wins on Sunday afternoon, then they will play another elimination game against the winner of the Florida-Oregon State matchup at 7 p.m.?
Bethune-Cookman Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach Mervyl Melendez
Opening Statement
?The bottom line is that this is very disappointing. I thought we had a chance
to make a little noise this weekend, but that wasn?t the case. Our pitching
didn?t really give us a chance to win yesterday or today. We were a little
sluggish. I thought our hitting wasn?t good enough to be able to compete. I?m
disappointed. The group of seniors that we have is one of the best we?ve had in
our program.?
On the team failing to put together an offensive rally
?It?s very difficult to continue to tell your position players to keep battling at the plate and putting runs on the board when the pitching is not responding as it should. I think the guys were a little demoralized after coming within a couple runs and then giving those couple runs back to the other team. We just kept returning to the same position that we were in before.?
#11 Brandon Turner
On hitting his first-career home run
?It was pretty sweet to get a home run. I haven?t had one since I was about 11 or 12 years old. I didn?t know it was out right away, but when I rounded first I heard the ball hit the bleachers and I knew. It was a cool feeling.?
FAU Post-Game Quotes
Head Coach John McCormack
Opening Statement
?We did exactly what we wanted to do. Ryan (Garton) threw a very good game and kept them off balance, which gave us a chance for our offensive to get going. I heard that we had a season-high number of hits and doubles. The guys were focused and ready to play. We played very good defense. I think we turned three double plays. It was exactly what we needed today.?
On the team?s offensive explosion
?I don?t think we approached it any different than we did yesterday. We had a full week off, which may have had something to do with it. From the last series to the conference tournament you only have three days, but heading into Regionals there is a bit of a layoff. I did feel that there was a little more of a sense of urgency. This was the first time in our season that you say: we either win or we are done. We always say games are must-wins but this is the first time it really could?ve been the end of our season.?
# 8 Andy Mee
On returning to Gainesville after playing at Santa Fe College
?I love the Gainesville area and am happy to be here. My coach is here from Santa Fe College to watch me play today. It?s great to be back.?
# 19 Dan Scheffler
On if his batting approach has changed
?I don?t think that it has. Obviously, some at-bats are good and some are bad. I?m just trying to be more competitive. I?m not thinking about how far or hard I hit, but rather to just put the ball in play.?
# 12 Ryan Garton
On what pitches were working today
?I would say my fast ball was working the best for me today. I was having a little trouble with my curve ball so I was going to the fast ball to get ahead. Also my change-up really worked and I threw a lot of them.?
FAU
Notes
? FAU improved to 11-14 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.
? The Owls have now won at least one game in all seven of
their regional appearances.
? The 12 runs scored by the Owls were the most by FAU since
plating 14 runs exactly six years ago today vs. St. Bonaventure (14-2) in the
2004 Coral Gables Regional.
? FAU improved to 57-15 all-time vs. Bethune-Cookman,
including five-straight wins.
? The 18 hits by the Owls tied a school record in NCAA
Tournament play (vs. Florida on May 31, 2003 in the NCAA Gainesville Regional)
and the most by FAU since knocking out 20 hits in a 10-3 win over FIU on May
15, 2008.
? FAU is averaging 10.6 runs in its last seven games.
? The combination of FAU?s 4-6 hitters, Dan Scheffler, Eddie
Cassidy and Nick Delguidice are hitting a combined .481 (13-for-27) this
weekend with seven RBI, seven runs, three home runs and two doubles.
? In his last six games, Raymond Church is 15-for-32 (.469)
with 14 RBI, 12 runs and five home runs. Church tied an NCAA Tournament school
record with six at bats today.
? Colby Gratton became the third player in FAU history to
record a triple in the NCAA Tournament. Gratton also tied the school record
with three runs scored in an NCAA Tournament game.
Bethune-Cookman Notes
? Bethune-Cookman fell to 1-20 all-time in NCAA Tournament
play.
? The Wildcats dropped to 15-57 all-time vs. Florida Atlantic,
including five-straight losses.
? In four-career NCAA Tournament games (all in Gainesville), Ryan Durrence is hitting .375 (6-for-16) with six RBI, three runs, a double
and a homer.
? DJ Leonard extended his hitting streak to a career-high 13
games. For the tournament, Leonard went 4-for-8 (.500) with two RBI, two runs
and a double.
? Brandon Turner belted his first-career home run with a
two-run shot in the bottom of the sixth.
-UF-
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