FIU had been struggling to score runs having lost four of its last five games. Illinois State and its 6.89 team ERA provided the right recipe to get the famished Panthers bats going at the FIU ballpark Wednesday afternoon.
FIU sent 14 men to the plate in an eight-run fifth inning and banged out 18 hits in an 11-6 victory over Illinois State. The Panthers, who had a season-high in runs and hits, improved to 6-9 while the Redbirds dropped to 4-8.
With the Redbirds leading 5-3 in the bottom of the fifth inning, ISU right-hander Jeffrey Barton (0-1) retired the first two Panthers. But it would take the Redbirds three pitchers and 12 batters later to record the third out of the fifth inning.
Nick Day started the big rally with a bloop double by the right field foul line. The next six FIU batters each followed with a hit.
Nick Mira, making his second career start, singled to left to tie the score at 5-5.
Kolby Follis then hit a flare to short right field which proved to be the eventual game-winning hit – an RBI single to score
Rey Perez, who singled earlier in the inning. FIU fell a home run shy of hitting for the cycle in the fifth with six singles, Day and
Jack Schaaf hitting doubles and
Zach Files delivering an RBI triple off the left field wall.
Every Panther in the starting lineup had one hit in the fifth inning. FIU was ahead 11-5 when the fifth inning finally ended.
Mira led FIU going 4 for 4 with two RBI and even stole home when Follis broke from first to second on a steal attempt. Follis was 3 for 6 with three stolen bases and increased his team-leading batting average to .422.
Files,
Kenny Meimerstorf, Day and Lopez each had two hits.
FIU left-hander
Alex Demchak (2-0) relieved starter
Michael Agis and tossed 3 2/3 shutout innings to earn the win.
Garrett Cave,
Cody Crouse and
Williams Durruthy each followed with a scoreless inning of relief.
FIU opens a four-game weekend series against Manhattan at 6:30 p.m. Friday from the FIU ballpark. The game can be seen on PantherVision and heard on the FIU Sports Radio Network.
