HOUSTON, Texas (May 14, 2015) – The FIU baseball team (25-27, 13-15 C-USA) took care of business on Thursday evening, clinching a spot in the 2015 Conference USA Championship with an 11-1 win over the No. 13-ranked Rice Owls (33-18, 20-8 C-USA).
 
With 11 runs on 11 hits, the Panthers recorded their most-decisive victory versus the Owls. Junior Edwin Rios (1-for-3) drove in a game-high three runs, while scoring four. The Orlando, Fla., native blasted his 18^th homer of the season – a three-run shot in the top of the fifth. The 18 home runs are the most by any C-USA players since UCF's Jonathan Griffin hit 19 in 2011. Senior Julius Gaines led the Panthers with three hits, going 3-for-5 with an RBI. Sophomore JC Escarra had a pair of doubles, driving in two runs and scoring another versus the Owls, while senior Josh Anderson went 1-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored. Freshman Jack Schaaf scored a pair of runs, hitting 1-for-3 on the night.  
 
Freshman Andres Nunez (5-5) allowed no runs while scattering five hits over seven innings of action. The right-hander struck out five Owls on the night.
 
After a 1:08 delay to start due to weather, game one of the three-game series got underway. FIU jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third as Portelli drove in a run with the bases loaded and Anderson registered a two-RBI single two batters later. Portelli's ground out to second drove in Zack Soria from third, while Anderson's single up the middle scored Schaaf from third and Rios from second.
 
Rios extended the Panther lead to 6-0 with a three-run home run to right. The bomb, his 18^th of the season, was a no-doubter as it cleared the fence and the bases (two runners on) in the top of the fourth. In the top of the fifth, Rey Perez knocked in Anderson from second to make the score, 7-0.  
 
FIU added three more in the top of the sixth. Escarra gave FIU an 8-0 advantage with an RBI-double. After intentionally walking Anderson to load the bases, Gaines made Rice pay, driving in Portelli from third to give the Panthers a 9-0 lead. Austin Rodriguez reached on a fielder's choice bringing home Escarra for FIU's 10^th run of the game.
 
An inning later, Escarra recorded his second double of the game, scoring Rios from second. The run gave FIU an 11-0 lead in the top of the seventh.
 
The win is the first for the Panthers at Reckling Park, snapping a seven-game losing skid at the home of the Owls (1-7). The victory also improved FIU to 2-12 all-time versus Rice.
 
FIU and Rice will play game two of the three-game set on Friday, May 15. First pitch is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
 
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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 Ocean Bank Field at FIU Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offer more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $8.9 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.