HATTIESBURG, Miss. (March 13, 2015) -- FIU bats erupted in a big ninth inning to help the Panthers topple Southern Miss 9-1 in the Conference USA opener for both schools at Pete Taylor Park in Hattiesburg, Miss. FIU (9-9, 1-0 C-USA) scored seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to claim game one of a three-game series with USM (9-7-1, 0-1 C-USA).
Cody Crouse (2-1) delivered seven solid innings of one-run ball to earn his second win of the season. Crouse escaped a bases loaded, two-out jam in the bottom of the seventh to preserve a 1-1 tie.
In the eighth inning
Brian Portelli worked his way back from a 1-2 count to produce a sacrifice fly that scored
Jack Schaaf with the go-ahead run to give FIU a 2-1 lead.
The Panthers batted around in the ninth inning to put the game away.
J.C. Escarra had two hits in the ninth. Escarra led off the inning with an opposite field double down the left field line to start the rally and culminated the scoring with a two-run single again to the opposite field.
Edwin Rios added a two-run opposite field single to left earlier in the inning.
FIU collected 12 hits. Rios was 2-for-3 with three RBI.
Josh Anderson was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Escarra was 2-for-5 as was
Zach Soria, who increased his team-leading batting average to .370.
Danny Dopico held the Eagles at bay in the bottom of the eighth inning after FIU had taken a 2-1 lead. Dopico faced the minimum in his two innings of relief and earned his third save of the season. Dopico struck out three batters to increase his season strikeout total to 23 in 14 innings of work and picked off the only baserunner he allowed. USM leadoff batter Dylan Burdeaux walked in the eighth and then was erased by Dopico on a pickoff throw to Escarra at first base.
FIU and Southern Miss play game two of the series at 3 p.m. Saturday. The game will air on the FIU Sports Radio Network beginning at 2:55 p.m.
CLICK HERE to listen to Saturday's game.
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