No. 17 FAU Avoids Being Swept by FIU

No. 17 Florida Atlantic avoided a three-game sweep at the hands of FIU on Sunday afternoon with a 9-1 victory at the FIU ballpark. The Owls salvaged the series finale behind 12 hits and an efficient start from left-hander Sean Labsan.

After a pair of one-run FIU (19-22, 7-11 Conference USA) wins in the first two games of the series, FAU (28-10, 12-6 C-USA) broke open a close game Sunday with a five-run sixth inning. The Owls sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth to score five runs on just three hits but were helped by three FIU errors.

The Owls got single runs in each of the first three innings off FIU starter Alex Demchak (3-2) to help Labsan (5-1) who baffled the Panthers with a steady dose of slow curveballs. Demchak went two innings, allowed eight hits and three runs before being lifted for Nate Pearson with two runners on and no outs in the third inning.

Labsan pitched five shutout innings, allowed four hits, two walks and struck out five batters.

FIU had just eight hits for the game and all of the hits were singles. Rey Perez led the Panthers going 3 for 5. Kenny Meimerstorf drove in the lone FIU run in the bottom of the seventh inning with a single to score Zack Soria, who singled earlier in the frame.

On deck FIU hits the road for a week starting with a single game at South Florida on Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. The game can be heard on the FIU Sports Radio Network. The Panthers then play at Louisville on Wednesday before opening a three-game series at WKU next Friday.