FIU's rally from eight runs down to Charlotte fell just short Sunday afternoon at the FIU ballpark as the 49ers escaped with an 8-7 win. Charlotte (13-7, 2-1 Conference USA) won the series from FIU (12-9, 1-2) taking two of three games on the weekend.

The 49ers jumped on the Panthers with five runs in the fourth inning and three runs in the fifth to build an 8-0 lead. Charlotte got four hits and five runs off FIU starter Dominic LoBrutto (1-1) in the fourth, including a two-run home run by Zack Smith.

The Panthers pecked away with single runs in the fifth and seventh innings before a furious rally in the final two frames.

In the eighth inning, Jack Schaaf belted a three-run home run to right to bring the Panthers within three runs to trail 8-5.

In the ninth FIU loaded the bases with no outs on consecutive singles from Irving Lopez and Christian Khawam and a walk to Javier Valdes. Kenny Meimerstorf's sacrifice fly made it 8-6 and JC Escarra's RBI groundout brought FIU within a run at 8-7. However, with pinch-runner Kolby Follis at third base, J.D. Prochaska struck out Zack Soria to end the game.

Zack Flanagan (2-2) started for the 49ers and went 6 1/3 innings and allowed one earned run.

Lopez was 3 for 5 and Khawam was 3 for 4 for FIU.

FIU hits the road for its next series when the Panthers travel to Houston to open a three-game set with Rice beginning Friday at 7:30 p.m. EDT.