Box Score Box Score

BOCA RATON, Fla. -- A three-run home run in the second inning was all the offense needed for Florida Atlantic as the Owls held off a late Cornell rally, with the Big Red dropping a 3-2 contest on Wednesday night in Boca Raton, Fla. The loss drops Cornell to 3-3 on the season and 2-2 on its spring break trip. FAU improves to 13-7 on the year with the win.

Cornell pitchers allowed just two hits on the day, but were hurt by walks, putting six men on base, including two in the decisive second inning. Matt Hill got the start and took the loss, allowing all three earned runs, surrendering two hits and striking out two, but walking five. Mike Kazley, Brian Billigen and David Rochefort combined to work 3.2 innings of scoreless relief, surrendering only one walk. Billigen also fanned all three batters he faced in the seventh inning.

Mickey Brodsky and Nate David both had a pair of hits on the day for the Big Red, which picked up six hits against FAU pitching. Cornell stranded five runners, including a pair at third base, before finally breaking into the scoring column in the seventh inning.

Florida Atlantic got all of their runs in the second inning, as Hill walked two batters and gave up a two-out, three-run home run to Mike Albaladejo. David cut into the lead in the seventh with a solo home run, and Brodsky drove in Billigen with a two-out double in the eighth, but Cornell could not get the tying run across.

Cornell will use Thursday as a travel day, returning north to open up a four-game series at Army this weekend. The Big Red and Black Knights will play one game on Friday, two on Saturday and once more on Sunday to close out the spring break trip.