Before FIU stepped foot in its ballpark Friday afternoon, the Panthers clinched a berth in the Conference USA tournament. After FIU shutout Western Kentucky, 6-0, Friday night the Panthers have a chance to move up in the tournament seeding.

Freshman Tyler Myrick delivered a sterling start and three FIU home runs led to the second straight win over the Hilltoppers (16-38, 6-23 Conference USA).

Because Marshall lost to Charlotte early Friday afternoon, FIU secured the final spot in the conference tournament after the Thundering Herd was eliminated from postseason contention. Then after UTSA was swept by Southern Miss in a doubleheader Friday night in San Antonio, the Panthers are now one win away from locking up the No. 7 seed in the tournament.

If FIU (30-25, 14-15 C-USA) defeats WKU Saturday afternoon, then the Panthers are the No. 7 seed and UTSA (28-26, 15-15) drops to No. 8 because FIU won the season series over UTSA. The No. 7 seed will face No. 2 Old Dominion in the first round of the C-USA tournament Wednesday in Biloxi, Miss. The No. 8 seed takes on No. 1 Southern Miss also on Wednesday in the double-elimination tournament.

Myrick made sure WKU would not ruin FIU's night. The right-hander pitched a career-best seven shutout innings, allowed five hits and struck out six.

The Hilltoppers could only get two runners on base in the same inning just once Friday – the second inning. However, an unorthodox double play ended the only threat against Myrick. Tyler Robertson lined out to Jack Schaaf in left field. Kaleb Duckworth took off from second base before Schaaf made the catch and was doubled up when Schaaf threw to Irving Lopez for the third out.

Myrick (6-2), who tied fellow freshman Nick MacDonald for the team lead in wins, had a stretch where he retired 14 of 16 batters. Myrick recorded five strikeouts in his last seven outs.

The only run Myrick would need came in the bottom of the first when Schaaf drilled a solo home run off WKU starter Kevin Elder (3-2) that hit off the bottom right of the scoreboard in left center field.

FIU added three runs in the fifth on RBI singles by Zach Files and Kobe Lopez. Schaaf had an RBI double to make it 4-0. Schaaf was 2 for 4 with two RBI.

Zack Soria and Nick Day hit solo home runs in the seventh and eighth innings, respectively, for the Panthers.

In the top of the eighth after WKU loaded the bases against reliever Franklin Van Gurp, Dominic LoBrutto struck out Hunter Wood on three pitches to preserve the shutout. LoBrutto notched his team-leading fifth save.

MacDonald gets the ball for FIU in the regular season finale at 12 p.m. Saturday against WKU at the FIU ballpark. Saturday is Senior Day when FIU will honor the 13 seniors on its ballclub in a pregame ceremony starting at approximately 11:45 a.m.

The Senior Day ceremony and the game can be seen on PantherVision and C-USA TV beginning at 11:45 a.m.