MIAMI (March 6, 2017) – FIU Athletics wrapped up its first weekend in March firing on all cylinders as its teams went a combined 13-4.
The baseball team wrapped up a four-game series with the Manhattan Jaspers, taking 3-of-4 on the weekend. Despite falling to the Jaspers in extra innings to start the weekend, the Panthers won the final three games to win the series. The FIU pitching staff picked up three wins, while posting a 2.06 ERA with 36 strikeouts and just six walks. Freshman
Nick MacDonald highlighted this past weekend's pitching performance, earning his first-collegiate win. The first-year Panther allowed one run on two hits, while striking out nine in seven and two-third innings of action. A pair of Panthers hit over .400 on the weekend as
Adam Sevario (.455) and
Irving Lopez (.429) combined for 11 hits, six RBI and five runs scored.
The No. 11-ranked beach volleyball team improved to 5-1 this season with a strong 3-1 finish at this past weekend's UNF Invitational in St. Augustine, Florida. The Panthers made quick work of the College of Charleston (4-1), UNC-Wilmington (5-0) and North Florida (5-0). The team's only blemish was a hard-fought, 3-2 loss to South Carolina on Saturday. The Gamecocks are receiving votes in the current AVCA Collegiate Beach Volleyball Poll.
Men's basketball wrapped up the 2016-17 season with an impressive 68-56 win at UAB on Saturday, stunning the 4,000 Blazer fans on the team's Senior Night. One group of seniors whose night wasn't spoiled was FIU's, who helped spearhead the FIU victory. Graduate student
Michael Kessens recorded his ninth double-double of the season with 14 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
Anthony Boswell also found his way into double figures with 11 points.
Eric Nottage dished out a career-high 12 assists to go along with seven rebounds. The win completed FIU's season sweep of the Blazers.
The FIU softball team posted a 4-1 mark at the Citrus Classic II at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee, Florida. The Panthers improved to 15-6 on the year following last weekend's action. FIU claimed three-straight wins during the tournament, defeating Chattanooga, 10-2 (5), Mercer, 6-5 and Kansas, 4-3. The team's only loss of the weekend was a 5-3 in eight innings decision to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. The Panthers held a 3-1 lead with two outs in the seventh, but Notre Dame plated two to send the game to extra innings. The Fighting Irish scored two more in the eighth to snap FIU's five-game winning streak. FIU rebounded with a one-hit shutout of Bryant, winning 4-0, to close out the weekend.
Women's tennis continues its hot start having won seven-straight, including two this past weekend. The Panthers (9-1), are currently ranked No. 40 in the nation and collected a pair of victories in Las Vegas, Nevada. FIU opened the weekend with a 5-2 win over the No. 46-ranked UNLV Rebels on Friday followed by a 4-0 shutout of Colorado State on Saturday. Saturday's win marked the fifth shutout for the Panthers this season. FIU's only loss on the year was to No. 1 Florida back on Jan. 29.
