Friday, May 12, 2006

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- Junior Jen Musillo threw a one-hitter as Florida Atlantic University beat no. 1 seed Stetson 5-0 in the winners’ bracket final at the 2006 Atlantic Sun Conference Softball Championship on Friday at FAU Softball Stadium.

Only an infield single kept Musillo from throwing the first no-hitter in FAU’s decorated history in the A-Sun tournament. Musillo (10-7) struck out eight and walked just two in her first career A-Sun tournament game.

The win moves Florida Atlantic into the championship round on Saturday, positioning the Owls for their ninth A-Sun title. FAU is also just one win from claiming the seventh NCAA tournament berth in program history. Musillo had plenty of support defensively and found breathing room after a four-run fifth from her teammates.

The Owls registered 10 hits in the game, led by two hits apiece for senior Danielle Arriaga, junior Mandie Fishback and freshman Amy Bukovich. After a hit-by-pitch and single to shortstop put runners on first and second with one out in the fourth for Florida Atlantic, Arriaga delivered a single that scored junior Jenna Lopez from second base.

Fishback followed with a triple, plating junior Shauna Corso and Arriaga, and scored on a subsequent throwing error, giving FAU the 5-0 advantage. The Owls’ defense spurred on Musillo for the first four innings.

FAU turned a double play in the second and Lopez made back-to-back diving catches in centerfield to open the fourth. Stetson generated a threat with runners on second and third with one away in the fifth but Musillo settled down to induce a pop out and end the inning with a strikeout. The right-hander faced the minimum in the final two innings, ending the game with another double play.

Florida Atlantic built its first threat in the second inning on a Fishback single and Kala Guy free pass. The Owls capitalized when freshman Bukovich drove a double to left center to put FAU on top 1-0.

Fishback totaled two runs and two RBIs, while Arriaga had one of each. Lopez had just two putouts in the game but her catches prevented consecutive doubles that would have tied the score at 1-1 in the fourth.

Erica Demers fell to 26-6 on the year, giving up one run on three hits in 1 2/3 innings in the start. Reliever Heather Colding was tagged for four runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings.

Florida Atlantic (32-22) moved to 3-0 in the tournament and will play the winner of the losers’ bracket final on Saturday at 12:00 noon. The Hatters (43-15) will play East Tennessee State at 7:00 p.m. Friday.

Release courtesy of FAU Athletic Communications