By: Andres Leon / Staff Writer
After a close win the previous night, the Golden Panthers look to complete a three-game sweep against Seton Hall on Mar. 7.
FIU had the runs they needed, and the defense to close the game against the Pirates. With no-hits going into the eighth inning the Golden Panthers came close to repeating history once again for the second time in less than a week.
Righty Daniel Desimone, who prior to this game had pitched eleven innings with eight strikeouts, had his best outing of the season. Desimone was four outs away from the record books when Sean Gusrang connected a double down right field in the eighth inning to wipe off his no-hit bid.
Desimone tossed a complete game, allowing one run on three hits as he struck out seven, one shy of his season total. His pitching helped the Golden Panthers (11-2) win a close 3-1 decision to complete the three-game sweep over Seton Hall (2-7).
“I had to stay ahead of the hitters, change up was working for me.” Desimone said.
According to the senior pitcher, he envisioned an outing like this in his sleep.
“I had a dream the night before that I got it, but in the sixth inning today I noticed I was close,” Desimone said. “I threw a bad pitch and he did what he had to do.”
After giving up a hit in the eighth, Desimone allowed two more hits in the ninth inning, including a run to break his complete game shutout. Sullivan would single off a bunt and Genovese would double a deep ball to right center to give the Pirates a consolidation run.
“About the sixth inning I glanced up [at the score] and noticed a bunch of zeros and it started to hit me,” Desimone said.
Desimone’s no-hit bid was not a surprise to Coach Turtle Thomas, who expected a solid outing from the senior.
“He’s an outstanding pitcher. He was throwing well all game and he picked off their lead off guy. He really deserved the no-hitter, but our bullpen is showing up,” Thomas said after the game. “It’s important to have good pitching against good teams.”
As the bottom of the fifth inning, Joel Capote singled out down the left field line. Catcher Jose Behar would complement Capote by doubling a deep ball to left center field bringing Capote in to score the first run of the game.
Pablo Bermudez would lay a sacrifice bunt, adavancing Behar to third. T.J. Shantz would hit a bunt single, bringing Behar home to expand the led to 2-0 in the fifth.
The score was still 2-0 in the bottom of the seventh when the Pirate made their first pitching change. Pirates reliever Frank Morris would replace Greg Terhune to keep the Golden Panthers at bay.
Joel Capote would have none of that, hitting his first homerun of the season. Capote hit a solo shot deep over the right field wall.
“We play small ball, and normally I don’t go for a homerun but he gave me a good pitch and I swung hard,” Capote said.
With the victory, FIU sit on a ten-game winning streak as they travel through Texas to face Rice University on Mar. 9 followed by a three-game set against Texas A&M in College Station through the weekend.
The Golden Panther pitching staff will be tested as the Rice Owls have the top projected hitter in the nation, Anthony Rendon. The Aggies of Texas A&M are also a familiar foe as they eliminated FIU in the NCAA Regional last season.
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