Baseball Swept by No. 19 Florida Atlantic

Sunday, February 15

Boca Raton, Fla.

11:00 AM

Southern Illinois University

0-3

Florida Atlantic

7-0

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	Runs R	Hits H	Errors E
Southern Illinois	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	6	1
#19 Florida Atlantic	2	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	X	7	5	2

02/15/2004 | 12:00:00 | Baseball

Box Score

Feb. 15, 2004

Box Score

By Jeff Honza
www.SIUSalukis.com

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Rob Horst went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run, two runs scored and four RBI to lead No. 19 Florida Atlantic (7-0) to a 7-2 win over Southern Illinois (0-3) earlier today at FAU Stadium. With the win, the Owls completed a three-game sweep of the Salukis.

SIU built a two-run lead in the top of the first, where Nathan Emrick was hit by a pitch and safely stole second. P.J. Finigan and Cory Newman would then strike out consecutively, before Greg Andrews drew a walk to keep the rally alive.

With Andrews on first and Emrick at second, Grant Gerrard doubled home both baserunners to give the Dawgs a 2-0 lead.

FAU answered the Saluki attack in bottom half of the first which saw Horst launch a two-run homer over the left field wall and tie the game at 2-2.

After both teams came up empty in the second, the Owls used a five-run third to put the Dawgs away.

Jarrod Lauth led off the FAU third with a walk and advanced to second on a single by Derek Hutton. Evan Brannon followed with a SAC-bunt which moved Hutton to second and Lauth to third. After Jeff Fiorentino walked, Horst ripped a two-RBI single up the middle.

Shortly after Horst's hit, Alex Fonseca reached on a third walk by SIU starter Ryan Davis. Horst and Fiorentino then scored on an ensuing single by Tim Mascia. Only one run, however, was scored as a RBI.

Immediately following Mascia's hit, left-hander Tyler Norrick took the mound and threw a wild pitch that enabled Fonseca to score from third and give the Owls a 7-2 lead which would hold up in the end.

Mike Crotta (2-0) picked up the win on the hill for FAU. Crotta gave up three hits and two runs in five innings. He also struck out eight batters to just one walk. Craig Hughes, Allen Knight and Chris Saxton combined for four scoreless innings once Crotta left the game.

Davis (0-1) took the fall on the mound for SIU in his Saluki debut. He allowed four hits, four walks and seven runs in 2.2 innings.

Offensively, Gerrard went 2-for-4 with a two-RBI double to pace the Dawgs. Emrick, Newman, Nathan Boldt and Kevin Koski also had one hit apiece.

SIU remains on the road to visit Vanderbilt in a three-game series on Feb. 20-22.