Kevin Calcagno / Staff Writer
The FIU men’s baseball team is set to kick off the 2021 season with a 3 game home series against the Illinois-Chicago Flames.
The Panthers boasted a 10-5 overall record out of all 12 teams in Conference USA last season, before it was abruptly ended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FIU hopes to have a strong performance this season, with their incoming freshmen recruits ranked in the top 25 by Baseball America for the third time in four years.
Redshirt senior second baseman Derek Cartaya was also named to the preseason all C-USA team just a week before the season begins. Cartaya started all 15 games last season, and he will look to follow it up with a strong performance in 2021.
The Recruiting Class
FIU is the only team that doesn’t belong to a Power Five conference (ACC, SEC, Big 10, Big 12, & PAC 12) which has a recruiting class ranked within the top 25 in the country.
Head Coach Mervyl Melendez said “This is an important class for our program since they will be replacing some seniors next year,” when asked by FIU Athletics about the incoming freshmen.
The Panthers welcomed 17 freshmen for the 2021 season, bringing in plenty of fresh talent to help ease the transition after losing some seniors.
The biggest headline of this season’s class is the addition of outfielder Mario Zabala and shortstop Steven Ondina. Zabala and Ondina are ranked as the top two recruits in Puerto Rico by Baseball America.
Ondina is from Gurabo, Puerto Rico, and he played at the International Baseball Academy. He is ranked as the best shortstop in Puerto Rico, as well as the 68th best player overall by Perfect Game.
Zabala also played at the International Baseball Academy, and is ranked by Perfect Game as the best player in Puerto Rico. He is also the 16th best player overall, as well as the seventh best outfielder.
FIU’s class has been highly rated by several outlets, and the Panthers will look to maximize the potential of their young, talented prospects.
Opening Season Triple Headers
The Panthers will start their season off at home with a three game series against UIC. The first game will be played on February 19th at 7 pm, and the next will be the following day at 2 pm. The final game will be played 45 minutes after game two ends.
FIU will then host the Miami of Ohio Redhawks a week later for another tripleheader. The series will begin on Friday, February 26th at 7pm, then transition to Saturday at 1pm and Sunday at noon.
The following week, the Panthers are set to host the Indiana State Sycamores from March 5th to the 7th. The games will be played at 7pm, 6pm, and noon.
Conway Road Trip
The Panthers will head to Conway, South Carolina after their tripleheaders at home to face the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers in a three game series. Game one will be played on March 12th at 4 pm, and games two and three will be played at noon on March 13th and 14th.
Deland Road Trip
FIU is set for a trip to Deland to clash with the Wichita State Shockers and the Stetson Hatters. On March 19th at 2 pm, the Panthers will begin the series against the Shockers. The next day at 2 pm, FIU faces off against the Hatters.
The Panthers will then rematch the Shockers on March 21st at noon before ending the road trip with a second game against the Hatters at 3:30 pm. FIU will head home and face Stetson one more time on March 23rd at 7 pm.
Norfolk Road Trip
FIU will face off in a tripleheader against the Old Dominion Monarchs in Norfolk, Virginia the following weekend. Game one will be played on March 26th at 3 pm. Game two is set for March 27th at 2 pm, and the final game will be on March 28th at noon.
WKU, Charlotte, & Stetson
The Panthers will begin April by hosting two sets of tripleheaders at home. The first series will be against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, beginning on April 1st at 7pm, with the next two games on April 2nd at 2 pm, and April 3rd at noon.
FIU will then face off against the Charlotte 49ers. Game one will be on April 9th at 7 pm, game two on April 10th at 2 pm, and the final game will be on April 11th at noon. FIU will then travel to Deland to face the Stetson Hatters yet again on April 13th 6:30pm.
Marshall & Stetson
FIU will head to Huntington, West Virginia for a tripleheader against the Marshall Thundering Herd. Game one of the series is scheduled for April 16th at 3 pm. Game two will take place on April 17th at 11 am, and the final game will be on April 18th at 1 pm.
Afterwards, the Panthers will return back to South Florida for a game against the Stetson Hatters on April 21st at 7 pm.
FAU Home & Home Series
The Panthers will stay at home as they will be set to face the Florida Atlantic Owls in a six game series in which the first three games are at home. The first tripleheader is scheduled for April 23rd to the 25th at 7 pm, 2 pm, and noon.
FIU will travel to Boca Raton for the next three games against FAU. The games will take place from April 30th to May 2nd at 5 pm, 2 pm, and noon.
Louisiana Tech Series
The Panthers will then face the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs at home in a tripleheader. Game one will be played on May 7th at 7 pm. Game two will take place on May 8th at 2 pm, and the final game will be on May 9th at noon.
Tennessee Road Trip
The Panther’s final road trip will be to Tennessee. First, they are set to play a final tripleheader against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders in Murfreesboro on May 14th to the 16th at 7 pm, 2 pm, and noon.
Then, the Panthers will head to Nashville to close out the regular season with a clash against the reigning national champions, the Vanderbilt Commodores, on May 18th at 7:30 pm.
C-USA Tournament
The Conference USA tournament will be played from May 26th to the 30th, should FIU qualify for the competition.
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