MIAMI (March 1, 2015) -- FIU collected a season-high in runs and hits en route to its 19-5 win over Manhattan Sunday afternoon at the FIU ballpark. The Panthers (7-5) banged out 20 hits Sunday to take 3-of-4 games from the Jaspers (1-7).
Manhattan jumped to a 4-0 lead on FIU with a run in the first inning and three runs in the second inning before the Panthers rallied. FIU scored three runs in the bottom of the second highlighted by senior
Brian Portelli's 10
th double of the season. The two-run hit cut the deficit to 4-3.
FIU took the lead for good with five runs in the fourth inning. Freshman
Jack Schaaf scored the tying run from third base on a wild pitch and Portelli drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly.
Right-hander
Chris Mourelle (2-1) pitched six and one-third innings to record the victory. Tom Cosgrove (0-1) allowed five runs over three and one-third innings to take the loss.
The Panthers tacked on two runs in the fifth on a two-run double by junior
Zach Soria. FIU led 10-4. Senior
Julius Gaines made it 11-4 in the seventh with his first home run of the season -- a drive over the leftfield wall. FIU finished its scoring with eight runs in the eighth inning – the second time in the series that the Panthers scored eight runs in the eighth.
Gaines was 3-for-6 with two RBI. Portelli added his 11th double of the season in the seventh to give him the national lead in the category. Portelli went 3-for-4 with three RBI to up his batting average to .370.
Schaaf, senior
Josh Anderson, Soria and junior
Brandon Cody each contributed two hits. Soria knocked in three runs and increased his team-leading average to .417. Sophomore
Kolby Follis had three RBI in the eight-run eighth, including a two-run double.
FIU will next play an exhibition game Monday at 1 p.m. against the Miami Marlins at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter. Fans can tune in to the
FIU Sports Radio Network to hear the game beginning at 12:55 p.m.
The Panthers return to regular season action next Friday, March 6, when Connecticut comes to town for a three-game series beginning at 7 p.m.
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