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BOCA RATON – Kevin Abraham’s sacrifice fly in the 11th inning drove in Cody Wilson with the game-winning run in a 6-5 victory over Western Kentucky.
FAU nearly lost the game one inning earlier. Trailing 5-3 and down it its final strike, Richie Nizza smacked a single to center that would ultimately score two runs, tying the game at 5.
“Down two, Richie comes up with a big hit,” FAU coach John McCormack said.
The Owls led 3-1 after five, but WKU tied the game with runs in the sixth and seventh. The Hilltoppers then scored twice in the top of the 10th on a ball that ricocheted off FAU first baseman Andru Summerall and down the rightfield line.
FAU countered with singles by Eric Rivera and Gunnar Lambert to start the bottom half of the 10th, and had runners on the corners with two outs. On a 2-2 count, Nizza roped a liner to center, scoring Rivera, and pinch-runner Steven Revilla who was running on the pitch, easily making it to third; then scoring when the ball was mishandled by Hilltoppers’ centerfielder Jacob Rhinesmith.
Wilson doubled off the centerfield fence to lead off the bottom of the 11th. Tyler Frank walked, and after a wild pitch moved both runners up. With one out, Abraham lifted a fly ball to right, deep enough to plate the speedy, sliding Wilson.
“It’s fitting on Senior Weekend that Kevin Abraham gets the game-winning RBI after everything he’s been through,” McCormack said. “It was kind of emotional.”
GameBrowser: FAU (36-15-1, 19-8-1) 6, WKU (21-31, 11-18)
Moving Forward: Cody Wilson had four hits, scored four runs stole two bases and hit a homer on the afternoon. …David Miranda knocked in FAU’s first two runs, both Wilson, on a groundout in the first, and a two-out single in the third. …Starter Vince Coletti allowed two runs on seven hits, striking out three in five innings. …Jordan Poore threw three innings in relief, allowing an unearned run.
Sliding Backward: Less than 24 hours after belting two homers, Andru Summerall went hitless in five at-bats, striking out twice. …Reliever Drew Peden surrendered two runs in 1 1/3 innings.
Key Stat: 36 – wins for FAU this season, surpassing their win total from last year.
Up Next: FAU goes for the sweep of Western Kentucky on Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for noon.
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