By: Andres Leon / Staff Writer
The Golden Panthers were looking for a two-game sweep after beating MEAC champions Bethune-Cookman in a 7-3 victory the night before. With a three game series against conference leader Troy looming in the weekend, FIU was hoping to head into their conference series with momentum.
But FIU would come up short of another rally as they fell to the Wildcats by a score 5-4 on April 6.
FIU (19-12, 4-5 SBC) gave the start to the Canadian freshmen Mike Ellis, making his sixth appearance of the season. He would have a shaky first few innings to start the game.
MOUNTING ISSUES
In the top of the second Ellis got himself into a jam as Emmanuel Castro started things for BCU by singling past the short stop and would later advance to third when DJ Leonard bunted for a sacrifice out to send Castro home.
With the score 1-0 early on, Ellis attempted to settle down but as time went on he continued to struggle through the third inning.
With the bases loaded, the Wildcats capitalized off a throwing error by second basemen T.J. Shantz, allowing Alejandro Sanchez and Paul Biocic to take home and give BCU a 3-0 lead in the third.
FIU was able to get a run back in the bottom of the third, only coming up short and getting one run off a bases-loaded situation.
The bases were loaded and FIU looked to score with Mike Martinez at the plate. Martinez was to put the ball in play in the infield, buying enough time for Bermudez to come home for the lone run of the inning .
The Wildcats were able to bounce back and pick up a run in the top of fourth off a single from center fielder Brashad Johnson to right field, making the score 4-1.
Ellis finished the game with three innings pitched, allowing four runs off three hits and only striking out one Wildcat.
Logan Dodds made his tenth appearance for FIU in relief of Ellis, having pitched 21 innings and striking out 18 hitters this season.
Dodds cooled off the Wildcats giving the Golden Panthers a chance to try and make a comeback.
After pitching a little over one inning of play and allowing zero runs off of two hits and striking out two Wildcats, Dodds was called off and relieved by Christian Malbrough.
“It’s important in a mid-week game, especially after playing the night before, to get as many pitchers out there as possible before a big weekend series,” said coach Turtle Thomas.
Malbrough started off shaky by walking Emmanuel Castro and would advance to second on a ground out.
D.J. Leonard singled to second base and Castro would slide home after Behar was unable to make the tag, giving the Wildcats a 5-1 lead in the sixth.
An RBI single by Behar in the seventh to the left side brought the Golden Panthers closer, making the score 5-2.
The bottom of the eighth saw FIU continue to dig for hits as Pablo Bermudez got on first after an error by the BCU shortstop. Shantz complemented Bermudez by hitting a single to right field moving Bermudez to second and both would advance on a passed ball.
Jeremy Patton came through with a single through the right side to bring Bermudez and Shantz home and bring FIU one run shy of tying the game.
But BCU reliever Jordan Dailey came in and was able to shut the door on the Golden Panthers to end the game.
“It’s important to try and win every game you can down the stretch. When you leave sixteen guys on base, you’re not going to win a baseball game,” Thomas said. “We’ll play it one game at a time.”
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