Top-Seeded Owls Eliminated in AAC Semis

TAMPA, Fla. – Despite a one-hit, complete-game effort from junior pitcher Autumn Courtney, the No. 1-seed Florida Atlantic softball team was defeated 1-0 by No. 4-seed North Texas in the American Athletic Conference semifinals on Friday.
 
The Owls (44-10) found themselves in a pitcher’s duel with the Mean Green (35-20), who broke through in the top of the fifth inning with the game’s lone run, an unearned tally. The unanimous AAC Pitcher of the Year Courtney finished the day with seven strikeouts and an unearned run on the one hit allowed.
 

Courtney made quick work of Mean Green batters in the top of the second, staying ahead of the count on the way to three strikeouts to retire the side.
 
The two teams traded four hitless innings to begin the game. Redshirt sophomore outfielder Kylie Hammonds, the team’s leader in on-base percentage, broke the slow start in the bottom of the fourth with a leadoff double.
 

After Courtney held North Texas hitless until the top of the fifth, a walk followed by the first single of the game saw a run score off a fielding error in right field for a 1-0 Mean Green lead.
 
The Owls responded in the bottom frame with back-to-back hits from sophomores Bella Cimino and Kiley Shelton, putting the former in position to score at third base, but both were left stranded.
 

Courtney kept the Mean Green in check the rest of the way, not allowing a baserunner in the final two innings.
 
With the Owls down to their last out in the bottom of the seventh, a walk from sophomore Ciara Gibson and a hit-by-pitch on Cimino put a potential go-ahead runner in scoring position before a groundout ended the game.
 

• The Owls have allowed less than five hits in eight straight games and have allowed one or less in two of the last three.
• With no earned runs on the day, Courtney’s ERA drops to 1.80. 
• Hammonds has reached base in 23 consecutive games and 50 out of 54 appearances in 2025.
• Shelton continues her hot streak offensively dating back to last weekend, batting .429 in the last four games. 

Florida Atlantic awaits its further postseason fate in the NCAA Regionals Selection Show, taking place Sunday, May 11 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2 
 

For the Owls’ complete schedule, click HERE. To follow the team socially, visit @fausoftball, or for the most up-to-date information, go to www.fausports.com.
 
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