Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 CHARLOTTE, N.C. (March 8, 2014) – The FIU baseball team used strong pitching performances form junior Mike Franco and freshman Cody Crouse on Saturday, to take both games in the doubleheader matchup with Charlotte, 7-0 and 10-4. Franco tossed a complete game in the first contest, while Crouse hurled a perfect 6 1/3 innings of relief in game two.
 
The Panthers improve to 14-1 on the season and 2-0 to open Conference USA play. The 14-1 start is the second best 15-game start in program history. The 1999 squad opened the first 15 games of the season a perfect 15-0.
 
Game 1
 
Franco was dominant, as he improved to 3-0 and lowered his season ERA to 1.07. The junior allowed just five hits, one walk and struck out six in his first career complete game. With his shutout, the Panthers threw back-to-back shutouts for the first time in the Turtle Thomas era. Freshman Chris Mourelle threw one at Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday.
 
Junior Josh Anderson led the way for the Panthers, getting three hits and scoring two runs. Senior Tyler Hibbert drove in three runs on two hits, while junior Roche Woodard and sophomore Edwin Rios each collected two hits and scored two runs. Senior Zach Sweety had a multi-hit game as well.
 
With one out in the fifth, Woodard doubled to left centerfield and then scored on Hibbert's single to give FIU a 1-0 lead. Then in the sixth, the Panthers added two more as freshman J.C. Escarra flared a two-run single to up FIU's lead to 3-0.
 
Anderson led off the eighth with a single, his third hit of the day. Rios tallied his second hit to give the Panthers runners on first and second with nobody out. Sweety followed with a bunt base-hit, where the throw to first that he beat out ended up in the outfield. Anderson scored on the play to give FIU a 4-0 lead. Freshman Gunnar McNeill delivered with a pinch-hit RBI single to extend the lead to 5-0. Then with two outs, Hibbert delivered a two-run double that was drilled off the right field wall, extending the Panther advantage to 7-0.
 
Game 2
 
Crouse relieved junior Mike Ellis and pitched 6 1/3 perfect innings of relief. The freshman tallied six strikeouts and lowered his season ERA to 1.42 in the win, picking up his first career victory.
 
Junior Aramis Garcia had a big game for the Panthers, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double and three RBI. Hibbert followed up his game one performance with a 3-for-5 effort in game two, which included a leadoff home run and two RBI. FIU plated eight runs in the first three innings.
 
Following Hibbert's leadoff homer to start the game, Garcia drilled a solo shot to make it 2-0 in the first inning. FIU went on to manufacture a third run that inning, as Sweety had a bunt RBI single to give FIU a 3-0 advantage. The Panthers came back with four in the second after surrendering one to Charlotte in the bottom of the first. The four-run second for FIU was highlighted by a Garcia two-run homer.
 
The Panthers carried an 8-3 lead to the sixth inning, where they tacked on two more runs, thanks to a two-run single from sophomore Edwin Rios.
 
Crouse pitched from the second to the eighth inning, going 6 1/3 perfect innings. Sophomore Jason Morozowski closed out the win for the Panthers in the ninth.
 
FIU will close out the series with Charlotte tomorrow at 1 p.m. Junior Robby Kalaf will start for the Panthers on the mound.
 
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 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/.