Box Score LAFAYETTE, La. (May 22, 2013) – The FIU Panthers took a 6-5 lead into the bottom of the ninth, but Jace Conrad hit a three-run homer in walkoff style to win it for the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns on Wednesday night by a score of 9-6. FIU will play UALR on Thursday at 1:30 p.m. ET in an elimination game of the Sun Belt Conference
Tournament.

Freshman Edwin Rios led off the ninth inning with a single and would eventually score on an RBI double by sophomore Roche Woodard. In the bottom of the ninth, the Cajuns tied the game on a sacrifice fly before Conrad hit his fourth homer of the season over the left field fence to end it.

Woodard went 2-for-5 in the game with two RBI. Rios and junior Josh Anderson each had three hits in the loss. Sophomore Oscar Aguirre added two hits as well.  

In the bottom of the first, Louisiana plated a runner to gain a 1-0 lead. FIU was on its way to answering with a big inning in the second. Rios and Anderson led off with a single and walk respectively. However, a bunt pop up and a double play would shut down a big opportunity for FIU.

Following junior Mike Franco escaping a bases loaded jam in the third, FIU struck hard in the top of the fourth. Sophomore Aramis Garcia led off and reached on an error by the Ragin' Cajuns' third baseman. From there, the Panthers would collect five-straight base-hits, with RBIs being credited to Aguirre, Woodard and junior Zach Sweety.
Following a force at home, the Panthers still had the bases loaded and junior Julius Gaines singled to drive in Woodard. FIU batted around and Garcia squeezed out a 10-pitch, infield hit to score Sweety. The Panthers led 5-1 through the top of the fourth.

The Cajuns answered though in the bottom of the fourth with a two-spot. Dylan Butler led off with a single and Michael Strentz followed with a double to give Louisiana runners on second and third with nobody out. A groundout to second scored the first run and an RBI double by Dex Kjerstad cut the Panther lead to 5-3.

Louisiana cut into the lead again in the sixth. Strentz reached on a close call at first base. Following two outs, Conrad drove in Strentz to make it 5-4. Junior Albert Cardenas came in to relieve Franco with a runner on second and struck the ensuing batter out.

Cardenas pitched a scoreless sixth and seventh. In the eight, he surrendered a tying run on a bases loaded walk. FIU turned to junior Mitchell Davis, who came in and struck out Sun Belt Freshman of the Year Blake Trahan.

The Panthers took a 6-5 lead in the ninth, prior to Louisiana's walkoff heroics.

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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of the Sun Belt Conference and an affiliate member of Conference USA (men's soccer). Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. FIU is a member of the Sun Belt Conference and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu