HOUSTON, Texas (May 16, 2015) – The FIU baseball team (25-29, 13-17 C-USA) dropped both games of a doubleheader with the No. 13-ranked Rice Owls (35-18, 22-8 C-USA), falling in game one, 3-2 (7), and losing 7-4 (7) in game two from Reckling Park in Houston, Texas.
The double dip marked the seventh of the season for the Panthers, who finished the season 6-8 in those contests.
In game one, FIU fell 3-2 in seven innings. The Panthers scored two runs on eight hits, while committing two errors.
Right-hander
Chris Mourelle (6-7) suffered the loss, tossing just one inning. The sophomore allowed two runs (both unearned) on three hits and was scheduled to pitch just one inning in preparation for the Conference USA Baseball Championship next week. Righty
Cody Crouse saw three innings of action allowing one run and striking out two, while sophomore
Williams Durruthy hurled the final two innings, allowing just one hit with two K's.
FIU rattled off eight hits in the contest and was led by
Rey Perez, who went 2-for-2 versus the Owls. Seven different Panthers had a base hit, including senior
Josh Anderson (1-for-3), who had an RBI, senior
Julius Gaines (1-for-3), who scored a run and senior
Brian Portelli (1-for-3), who also scored a run.
Rice took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, after loading the bases on two hits and an error. An RBI-single and a sac fly plated both runs for the Owls. The Panthers converted a double play to ending the inning as Portelli, Anderson and Gaines combined to tag the runner out, attempting to advance to third following the sac-fly out to left.
Rice extended its lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fourth before FIU responded with a run of its own in the top of the fifth. Gaines scored from second on a throwing error by the Owls shortstop following the second single of the day for Perez.
The Panthers cut the deficit to 3-2 on a RBI-single by Anderson in the top of the sixth. After back-to-back singles by Portelli and Escarra, Anderson blooped a single to right field to drive in FIU's second run of the game.
The Owls would hold on for the one-run victory and even the series at one game apiece.
In game two, the base-on-balls hurt the Panthers as they fell 7-4 in seven innings. FIU walked 10 batters en route to the series-ending loss. A six-run fourth inning opened the game wide open for the Owls, who claimed the series win with the victory.
Freshman
David Lee (2-2) was saddled with the loss, allowing five runs on four hits in three and one-third innings of action.
Anderson led all Panthers with a 2-for-3 performance, including a three-run home run. Junior
Edwin Rios went 1-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored.
Rice took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second. After two quick outs, a hit batter, a single and a walk loaded the bases of the Owls. Rice drew another base-on-balls to score the first run of the game.
FIU got into another bases loaded jam in the bottom of the fourth following three-straight singles to start the inning. After Lee struck out Ford Stainback for the first out, he walked Charlie Warren to give the Owls a 2-0 advantage. Junior
Gianni Zayas relieved Lee following the walk. Rice added five more runs to take a 7-0 lead before freshman
Ian Exposito came in for relief of Zayas to close out the inning.
FIU got on the board in the top of the sixth. With runners on first and second and no outs, Rios singled to left field to drive in
Zack Soria and cut the Rice lead to 7-1. Two batters later, Anderson hit a three-run shot to left to make the score 7-4. The home run was the fourth of the year for the FIU third baseman.
The Panthers could not get any closer, dropping the final game of the series and the regular season, 7-4.
Next up for the Panthers will head to the 2015 Conference USA Baseball Championship in Hattiesburg, Miss. The double-elimination tournament will begin on Wednesday, May 20. The Panthers will face the No.1-seeded Rice Owls. First pitch is set for 1:30 p.m. ET. Game one of the 2015 C-USA Baseball Championship is set for 10:00 a.m. ET. For the official bracket log onto
www.ConferenceUSA.com.
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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/.
