Box Score MIAMI (Feb. 16, 2014) – The FIU baseball team (4-0) completed a four-game sweep of the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (0-4) with a 5-4 victory on Sunday afternoon at the FIU Baseball Stadium.
 
With the score tied 3-all heading into the eighth, the Panthers posted two runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a 5-3 lead and, ultimately, a 5-4 victory. The win gives FIU its first 4-0 start since the 2010 season. 
 
Junior Aramis Garcia led all Panthers in hitting, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Junior Julius Gaines drove in two runs, while hitting 1-for-4 on the day.
 
Senior left-hander Mike Gomez (1-0) earned the victory, coming out of the bullpen and hurling two-thirds of an inning, allowing no runs on no hits. Freshman Gunner McNeill, who entered the game at first base, replacing fellow freshman JC Escarra in the seventh, took the mound in the top of the ninth to earn his first collegiate save. Starter Cody Crouse made his FIU debut on Sunday. The freshman right-hander pitched five strong innings, allowing two runs on six hits, while striking out one.
 
FIU jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Garcia singled to left field to score senior Tyler Hibbert from second base. The Scarlet Knights tied the game in the top of the third, following a sacrifice fly by Christian Campbell.
 
The Panthers regained the lead, 2-1, in the bottom of the fifth when Gaines drove in Hibbert from third. Rutgers responded with a run in the top of the sixth when Campbell crossed the plate as FIU turned one of its three double plays in the game.
 
The Scarlet Knights took their first lead of the day, 3-2, with a run in the top of the seventh. FIU tied the score in the bottom of the seventh when Gaines registered his second RBI of the day, scoring freshman Kolby Follis from third.
 
The Panthers took the final lead of the game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the eighth, highlighted by a double steal by senior Zach Sweety and junior Josh Anderson as the FIU third baseman stole home. The stolen base was the second of the inning for Anderson, who also stole second. The Panthers scored the eventual game-winning run when pinch hitter Brandon Gomez drilled a double down the left-field line, scoring Sweety from second and giving FIU a 5-3 advantage.
 
The Scarlet Knights cut FIU's lead to 5-4 in the top of the ninth. However, McNeill took the mound and shut the door on Rutgers despite inheriting the bases loaded with no outs. The right-hander came in with a 5-3 lead and got Rutgers to ground out into the third double play turned by FIU for the day. The Scarlet Knights recorded a run on the play, making the score, 5-4. With two outs and the tying runner on third, McNeill got Mike Carter to ground out to second to end the game. 
 
Rutgers Tom Marcinczyk picked up the loss, allowing two runs on one hit in one inning of action.
 
FIU will return to action on Wednesday, Feb. 19, hosting the Stetson Hatters at the FIU Baseball Stadium. First pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.ET.
 
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUBaseball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUBaseball) for all the latest FIU Baseball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
 
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Season tickets for the upcoming FIU baseball season are now on sale. Tickets for the 2014 campaign cost just $50 per ticket for all fans this year. Fans can purchase tickets online, over the phone by calling 305-FIU-GAME, or in person at the R. Kirk Landon Fieldhouse Box Office. Student admission is free to all FIU baseball home games.
 
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. 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 bachelor¹s, master¹s and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida¹s 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. FIU has awarded 200,000 degrees and enrolls 50,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.