On Jackie Robinson Day, aptly enough it was FIU's No. 42
JC Escarra whose solo home run was the difference as FIU beat UTSA, 4-3, Saturday afternoon at the FIU ballpark.
The Panthers (21-15, 8-7 Conference USA) took the three-game series from the Roadrunners (17-17, 7-8).
Robinson, whose No. 42 is retired throughout Major League Baseball, is honored annually on April 15 for his role in breaking the color barrier in baseball and his Hall of Fame playing career as a member of the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Escarra came up against UTSA reliever CJ Pickering (1-1) in the bottom of the seventh with the game tied 3-3. The left-handed hitting junior first baseman clocked Pickering's offering over the left field wall to put FIU in front by a run. It was Escarra's team-leading seventh home run.
The one-run lead held up because of sterling relief work on the mound by
Cain Spangler and
Dominic LoBrutto to preserve the win for freshman starter
Nick MacDonald.
In the top of the eighth inning with the Panthers ahead, Spangler walked Chris Estrada to lead off the inning before recording two outs. Then an error and an intentional walk loaded the bases.
LoBrutto entered the game and struck out Kevin Markham, UTSA's second-leading hitter, on three pitches to end the inning and keep the 4-3 lead.
LoBrutto took down the Roadrunners in order in the ninth to notch his team-leading third save of the season.
MacDonald (6-0) had another nifty start for FIU. The freshman pitched seven innings, allowed one earned run to post his team-leading sixth win.
The Panthers rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the fourth and fifth innings.
FIU got help from UTSA starter Chance Kirby and reliever Karl Craigie in the fourth. Kirby hit Escarra and
Javier Valdes in consecutive at-bats and
Adam Sevario hit a single off Kirby's arm that knocked the pitcher out of the game. Craigie then walked
Kobe Lopez with the bases loaded to cut the UTSA lead to 3-2.
In the fifth,
Kolby Follis walked, stole second base and came home on
Kenny Meimerstorf's double into the left field corner to even the score at 3.
On deck, FIU opens a two-game, home-and-home series with Florida Gulf Coast in Fort Myers Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The teams play at the FIU ballpark Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
