MIAMI (Feb. 15, 2015) – Sophomore
Chris Mourelle led an FIU pitching staff which threw a combined four-hit shutout against the No. 25-ranked Tennessee Volunteers (1-2), as the Panthers (2-1) won the deciding game of the series, 3-0, on Sunday from the FIU Baseball Stadium.
Mourelle (1-0) threw five shutout innings allowing just one hit. The Miami native struck out three Volunteer batters en route to his first win of the season. Newcomers
Ian Exposito,
Gianni Zayas and
Danny Dopico took the mound for the combine shutout. Exposito and Zayas allowed just one hit in middle relief before Dopicio closed the door for the first save of his career. The right-hander, who picked up the win on Friday night, allowed no runs on two hits, while striking out three.
FIU also had stellar defensive play, contributing to the shutout victory. Shortstop
Julius Gaines had a number of highlight plays in the middle infield, while senior
Josh Anderson was solid at the "hot corner".
At the plate, FIU scored three runs on five hits, including senior
Brian Portelli, who registered two doubles, going 2-for-3 with a walk and a run scored.
The Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second as sophomore
JC Escarra grooved a double, scoring Anderson from second. A bases-loaded walk by junior
Brandon Cody scored FIU's second run in the bottom of the fourth.
FIU made the score 3-0 in the bottom of the seventh as Gaines drove in freshman
Eddie Silva on a sac fly to left field. Silva reached third on a lead-off triple; the first hit of his Panther career.
Tennessee's Kyle Serrano (0-1) recorded the loss, allowing two runs on two hits, while walking four in three and one-third innings of action. The Vols tallied four hits in the game; two by Nick Senzel, who went 2-for-4.
With the series win, FIU has now won it home-opening series in each of the last four years, dating back to 2012
The Panthers will begin a five-game, road-swing, traveling to DeLand, Fla., to take on the Stetson Hatters on Wednesday, Feb. 18. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m.
For ticket information for the FIU baseball season, call 305-FIU-GAME (
348-4263) or log onto
www.FIUSports.com.
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