The Florida Atlantic Owls (22-22) managed only five hits in their 3-2 home loss to Florida Gulf Coast. on April 29.

FAU took a 1-0 lead after a sac fly Tyler Rocklein scored Stephen Kerr. FGCU (22-22) scored scored one run in the second, fourth, and ninth innings respectively.

Strong pitching kept FAU in contention. The combined efforts of starting pitcher Kyle Miller and relievers Seth McGarry, Brandon Rhodes and Reilly Monkman stifled an FGCU offense that scored eleven or more runs on six different occasions this year.

Miller, making his first start of the year, retired the first three batters he faced with a combined nine pitches.

The FAU Owls found themselves down 3-1 heading into bottom of the ninth inning. After a ground out by Esteban Puerta brought in Robert Buckley, Jose Bonilla Traverso popped out to end the game.

If this game was the one that ended the season, FAU would not make it to the conference tournament. Only the top eight teams in terms of conference record are allowed entry into the conference tournament — FAU currently stands ninth.

They have a shot at making up some grounds in series versus C-USA opponents Old Dominion (May 2 – May 4) and Alabama-Birmingham (May 15 – May 17).

The Conference USA Tournament will take place from May 21 to May 25 of this year.

Wesley Wright is the Sports Editor of the University Press. He can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NotEvenWes.