ULM's Jeremy Sy (left) and FAU's Mike Spano watch Sy's game-winning homer in the 13th inning on Thursday (Photo courtesy of Sun Belt Conference)
Going, going, gone
FAU's road to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament championship takes a wrong turn in a 9-7 loss to Louisiana-Monroe in 13 innings on Thursday.
Originally published on
5/24/2012
by
Marcus Nelson
The Sun Belt Conference's regular-season champions won't make it to the conference tournament championship game or win the automatic bid to the NCAA Regionals after FAU lost to Louisiana-Monroe 9-7 in 13 innings on Thursday.
The Owls' loss, coupled with South Alabama's 5-3 victory over Western Kentucky later Thursday eliminated FAU from advancing and put ULM in the championship game.
Warhawks shortstop Jeremy Sy, the Sun Belt's Player of the Year, hit a two-run homer off Ahmed Garcia to give ULM the walk-off victory in a crucial Sun Belt Conference Tournament game in Bowling Green, Ky.
FAU will still play South Alabama on Friday, butwill have to do so without coach John McCormack, who was ejected in the third inning for reportedly arguing balls and strikes. By rule, McCormack will have to sit out the next game as well.
Sy was 0-for-5 before he tied the game in the 11th inning with a single and won the game in the 13th with is blast.
FAU (32-21) trailed 6-4 in the top of the 9th inning but tied the game on a two-out double by Mike Albaladejo.
The Owls took a 7-6 lead in the 11th on an RBI single by Nathan Pittman before Sy tied it in the bottom of the inning.
FAU pitcher Kevin Alexander struggled early and didn't make it out of the second inning as the Owls used five pitchers in the game.
GameBrowser: ULM 9, FAU 7 (13 innings)
- Owl Star Performance: A day after scoring the winning run vs. WKU, No. 9 hitter Nathan Pittman was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBI.
- Moving Forward: 2B Mike Albaladejo, playing with bruised ribs, was 2-for-5 and drove in two runs in the ninth inning to tie the game and send it to extra innings. ...Closer R.J. Alvarez was needed for four innings, much longer than he is used to and could have led to him giving up a run in the 11th.
- Moving Backwards: SS Mitch Morales was 0-for-6 and is 0-for-10 in the tournament. ...P Kevin Alexander allowed two homers in 1.1 innings.
- Key stat: The last three games FAU has played have been won in walk-off fashion.
- Up Next: The Owls face South Alabama at 8 p.m. In their last game in pool play in the Sun Belt tournament.