JONESBORO, Ark. (05/09/09) ? After pounding out 12 hits to score 11 runs in the first three innings, the Arkansas State Red Wolves (20-28, 10-16) kept Florida Atlantic (26-22, 9-16) in check the rest of the way and went on to defeat the Owls 11-4 Saturday afternoon at Tomlinson Stadium and Kell Field.

Andy Ferguson (4-5) picked up the win on the mound for the Red Wolves to help Arkansas State even the Sun Belt Conference series at 1-1.  Ferguson struck out seven batters, five of them looking, in eight innings of work.  The ASU sophomore gave up two runs on six hits and did not issue a walk on the day.

“We set the tone early with four runs in the first, then added three more in the second and another four in the third.  We had some guys that had some great at-bats early in the ballgame off of their left-hand pitching and that proved to be the difference,” said ASU Head Coach Tommy Raffo.  “And then Andy did a great job of being in the strike zone and staying ahead of their hitters.”

An RBI single up the middle from designated hitter Murray Watts got the scoring started for the Red Wolves in the first.  A two-run triple from first baseman Brandon Eller and a sacrifice fly from left fielder Josh DeMoney sent home three more runs for ASU in the opening frame.

A two-run home run in the second from FAU second baseman William Block cut the Arkansas State lead in half at 4-2, but that was all the Owls would get until the final inning as Ferguson retired 20 of the next 24 batters he faced.

Eller, third baseman Guy Brown and center fielder Todd Baumgartner all drove in runs in the third to stretch the ASU lead to 7-2, and an RBI double from right fielder Derrick Coleman coupled with a three-run home run from Baumgartner in the fourth made it 11-2, Red Wolves.

FAU scored twice in the final inning to set the final at 11-4.

Coleman was 4-for-4 at the plate with an RBI to lead Arkansas State, with Eller adding a 3-for-5, 3-RBI effort on the day.  Designated hitter Tom Hatcher went 2-for-4 to lead FAU.

Ahmed Garcia (3-2) took the loss on the mound for Florida Atlantic, giving up six runs on five hits in one inning of work.  Garcia did not register a strikeout and walked one batter.

The Red Wolves and Owls will decide the series Sunday at 11:30 a.m.  The game was previously scheduled to begin at noon, but due to the threat of inclement weather and the Sun Belt Conference Sunday get-away rule, the game time was changed.