Box Score MIAMI (March 16, 2014) – The FIU baseball team (16-4, 3-3) dropped the final game of its three-game set to Rice on Sunday, 11-7. The Panthers led 5-2 after five innings and 7-6 after six innings. But a five-run seventh for the Owls drove them to an 11-7 win.
 
Junior Aramis Garcia extended his hitting-streak to a career-high 14 games in the loss. Freshman Brandon Gomez continued his hot-hitting, going 3-for-3 and upping his batting average to .439. Sophomore Edwin Rios had two hits, including a triple.
 
Rice was the first team to strike, scoring a run in the first. FIU answered with a one-spot in the second. Gomez reached on a single with one out to give FIU runners on first and second. A walk for junior L.K. Thompson loaded the bases. Junior Roche Woodard would drive in the run for FIU on an RBI groundout.
 
After the Owls plated one in the fourth, FIU answered with a four-spot. The Panthers loaded the bases, which then resulted in a walk for senior Tyler Hibbert to knot the game up at two. Junior Julius Gaines drove in the next run for FIU on an RBI groundout. After the Owls opted to walk Garcia, Anderson answered with a two-run single to give the Panthers a 6-2 edge.
 
The Owls came back with four more runs in the sixth though to tie the game up at six. FIU went back on top though in the bottom half. With two outs and Garcia at second, Rios struck out, but made it to first on the dropped third strike as Rice's catcher overthrew first base. Garcia scored on the play.
 
Rice answered with a five-spot in the seventh to seal it, retaking the lead, 11-7.
 
FIU is next in action this Wednesday, hosting Florida Memorial at 6 p.m.
 
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 FIU baseball season are 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 FIU 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/.