Baseball to take on New Mexico State in a three game series

Will Duval | Sports Director

The FIU baseball team is traveling to Las Cruces, New Mexico to face off with the New Mexico State Aggies in a three game series, beginning on Friday, April 19, 2024.

Entering this matchup, the Panthers hold a 20-17 overall record and are coming off a 1-0 victory over the FAU Owls on Tuesday, April 16. In that game, they displayed their prowess on the pitching mound and limited their opponent to four hits on the night.

Vs. FAU:

Of the four pitchers that received playing time, redshirt senior pitcher Zac Lampton led the team in total strikeouts and finished with five in two innings. Beyond leading the team in strikeouts, didn’t allow any hits in the six at-bats he was at the mound.

Due to their performance defensively, FIU was able to withstand an offensive dry-spell that only yielded one run. Senior outfielder Jeff Liquori provided the team with their only run of the night after he hit a fly-out that resulted in a score for senior infielder Matthew Corpas.

Able to claim a 1-0 lead by the end of the sixth inning, the Panthers never looked back after that point. After they held the Owls hitless for the remainder of the game, they left the game victorious.

Corpas finished with a game high two hits and one run. He accounted for nearly half of the team’s scoring, as they finished with five hits as a unit.

Wrapping up their six game homestand, they look to carry their defensive intensity into their next matchup against NMSU.

Vs. NMSU:

Coming into this game, the Aggies hold a 17-19 season record and are on a three game win streak. In their previous game against the Tarleton Texan Riders on Wednesday, April 17, they displayed their power at the plate and claimed a 9-5 victory.

Senior outfielder Keith Jones II led both teams in every major statistical category, as he finished with four hits, three runs and five RBI’s in five at-bats. His contribution played a large role in the victory, as he provided the team with nearly half of their runs.

If FIU wishes to leave this matchup victorious, they must contribute to show off their precision at the pitching mound. Tarleton has shown the ability to collect a large number of hits in a game, limiting the amount of hittable balls thrown will be essential for a win.

Outside of their pitching, the Panthers must also continue to play rugged defense and make big plays in the outfield. In their game against FAU, they demonstrated the ability to withstand a low scoring performance if they have a strong showing in the outfield.

Looking to carry their momentum on the road, the FIU baseball team is traveling to Las Cruces, New Mexico to take on the NMSU Aggies in a three game series, beginning on Friday, April 19, 2024.

First pitch is set for 8 p.m. at Presley Askew Field.

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