The road ahead: Baseball team rebuilding, looking to go further next season

Reinaldo Llerena // Staff Writer

The FIU baseball team’s season ended on a wild pitch versus Marshall University, but the loss does not mean much when considering the team’s future.

The Panthers finished with a .500 overall record (29-­29), including the Conference USA tournament. However, Head Coach Turtle Thomas stepped down a couple of weeks after the season. Thomas served as head coach for nine seasons and had 282 wins, two conference titles and three NCAA regional appearances during his time at FIU. He was replaced with Head Coach Mervyl Melendez from Alabama State University.

The season started out rough, as the Panthers faced No. 24 University of Mississippi, more commonly known as Ole Miss, for the first series of the year. Ole Miss, a NCAA Tournament regular, swept the Panthers and scored 32 runs in three games.

The team, however, rebounded by winning the series versus teams such as St. Thomas University, Seton Hall University and Manhattan University. The Panthers maintained an even record until conference play began in the latter part of the season.

The Panthers also broke even in conference play, going 15­-15 versus conference opponents.

A couple of FIU players broke out over the course of the season. Catcher Zack Soria, who replaced J.C. Escarra after he underwent a season ­ending shoulder surgery, solidified himself as a middle­ of ­the ­lineup hitter for the Panthers. Soria finished the year with a .294 batting average, three home runs and 23 RBIs.

Although the majority of the team is staying put, two graduating seniors departed from the team. Rey Perez and Austin Rodriguez, both infielders, were honored, before the May 20 win over the University of Southern Mississippi, for their contributions to the team. Neither Perez nor Rodriguez was selected in the 2016 MLB first­ year player draft.

Williams Durruthy, however, was selected in this year’s draft in the 31st round by the Arizona Diamondbacks. Durruthy has not decided whether he will turn pro or return to school for one more year. If Durruthy returns, the Panther bullpen will have a solid back end with Durruthy closing.

Another positive change is in the works for FIU Baseball. The team’s aging stadium will undergo a major renovation soon. The list of improvements include additional shade for fans, a renovated locker room and an indoor batting cage. The multi-­million dollar renovation is still in the funding stage. The stadium was last renovated in 2007.

Despite the rough start to the season, the team managed to make the C-­USA tournament and break even on the year. Heading into next season, competition for positions will be the common theme. Soria and a healthy Escarra will battle for the starting catcher job, and competition for the two open infielder positions will be the highlight for the Panther offseason. No matter who wins the starting competitions, the Panthers will have a solid and more experienced team versus this year’s squad.