Tuesday, April 16, 2013 11:15 am

Courier Sports Report

Middle Tennessee led late into both contests at Florida Atlantic, but the Owls rallied to sweep the doubleheader on Sunday afternoon at FAU Baseball Stadium with 5-3 and 8-3 wins.

Hunter Adkins and Zac Curtis were both solid in starts for the Blue Raiders (20-18, 6-9 Sun Belt), but the Owls (24-12, 10-5 SBC) produced a big eighth inning in both contests to take the series.

Second baseman Johnny Thomas led MT offensively, going 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run in game one and 2-for-3 with a run in game two. Leftfielder Dalton Henzman was 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI in game two.

GAME ONE RECAP

An eighth-inning rally for Florida Atlantic and 12 Blue Raiders left on base proved to be the difference as Middle Tennessee fell to the Owls, 5-3, in game one of the doubleheader on Sunday morning at FAU Baseball Stadium.

GAME TWO RECAP

The Blue Raiders quickly rebounded in game two, again jumping out to a 2-0 lead.

After allowing a hit in the first inning, MT starter Zac Curtis clamped down over the middle innings. From the end of the first into the sixth, he retired 15 of 16 batters, including 10 in a row during one stretch.

But the Owls clawed their way back to win 8-3. The Blue Raiders return home Tuesday to host Belmont. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. at Reese Smith Jr. Field.