Box Score No. 19-ranked Rice took game one of the three-game series with FIU, 7-2, on Friday evening at the FIU Baseball Stadium.

Leading 4-2 in the top of the eighth inning, the Owls (8-6) scored three runs to pull away from the Panthers (7-7).

FIU got a solid starting performance on the mound from junior left-hander Tyler Alexander. Filling in for injured Friday night starter Mike Ellis, Alexander pitched 6 1/3 innings and struck out 10 Owls.

However, matching Alexander (photo above) pitch for pitch was Rice junior right-hander Austin Kubitza, a projected early round draft pick in the Major League Baseball Draft this coming June. Kubitza handcuffed the Panthers allowing two runs over 6 1/3 innings pitched. Kubitza struck out 11 batters.

FIU got single runs off Kubitza in the sixth and seventh innings. T.J. Shantz singled in the sixth and scored on Tyler Hibbert's infield single. In the seventh, Zach Sweety tripled to lead off the inning and scored on a sacrifice fly by Edwin Rios.

The Panthers and the Owls return to the diamond Saturday afternoon for game two of the series. The first pitch is scheduled for 4 p.m. You can catch all the action on PantherVision at FIUSports.com.