By: Eduardo Almaguer/Staff Writer
eduardo.almaguer@fiusm.com
Before the game, the head coach of the Panthers reminded his team that Florida Gulf Coast University was the team’s biggest non-conference rival in Florida. He wanted them to play harder than usual because of this.
Turtle Thomas got his wish.
FIU (12-12) routed the Eagles (9-16) in a 10-3 match up on March 28 that saw several Panthers break slumps and an unexpected pitching performance from junior right-hander John Caballero.
Caballero, who had only pitched 4 and 2/3 innings in the entire season, more than doubled his previous total with five innings pitched, giving up three earned runs, striking out three and walking only one batter.
“We feel like he did a really good job,” said freshman catcher Aramis Garcia. “It was just one good pitch away from being a great outing.”
Garcia spoke of the three run home run Caballero surrendered to third baseman Zack Tillery in the fifth inning.
Tillery, however, was not the only player to enjoy the long ball.
Garcia had one of his best nights in recent games, getting three hits in three at bats with one of them being a solo home run in the fifth inning. Junior Jabari Henry, who has been mired in a season-long slump, notched two hits, with one of them being Thomas’ favorite moment of the game: a three-run home run.
“I’m trying to hit the ball anywhere hard,” Henry said. “I don’t care if it goes out. I just want to hit the ball.”
Garcia, Henry, freshman Oscar Aguirre and junior Nathan Burns all had at least two hits and all eclipsed the .300 average mark.
FIU got on the board quickly in the second inning after red-hot senior Mike Martinez hit a first-pitch single and scored on a groundball.
The Panthers struck again in the third after Burns doubled and scored on senior Pablo Bermudez’ tenth RBI on the season.
When left-handed Eagle Andrew Polly took the mound, Garcia greeted him with his solo home run and seven more Panthers batted, with Tyler James Shantz and Bermudez each notching RBI singles to make it 5-0.
Caballero then hung a breaking ball that Tillery hit beyond the left-field fence in the top of the fifth inning to make it 5-3.
FIU, however, managed to get back the momentum shifted back into its dugout after Henry rocketed a double to bring home Garcia who opened the inning with a single.
The Panthers tore through right-hander Danny Patrick in the seventh inning, scoring four runs on the Eagle in just one inning, including Henry’s three-run home run to break the game open.
Asked what was his favorite part of the game, Henry smiled and gave a simple answer: winning.
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