MIAMI (Feb. 26, 2021) – On a night that saw the Panther pitching staff strikeout 19, the FIU baseball team topped the Miami (OH) RedHawks by a score of 3-1 in dramatic fashion.
 
FIU improves to 3-1 on the young season and 2-0 in games that Tyler Myrick starts.
 
Despite getting a no-decision, Myrick fanned a career-high 13 RedHawks over six innings of one-hit, one-unearned run ball. Garrett Rukes picked up his first win in a Panther uniform after tossing three shutout innings in relief with six punch-outs to tie his own career-high.
 
The 19 combined strikeouts from Myrick and Rukes are the most in a game by the Panthers since 2012.
 
Miami (OH) opened the scoring on the evening in the third inning, after a Panther error resulted in the RedHawks' only run of the night.
 
Freshman Steven Ondina got the rally started in seventh with a one-out walk before stealing second. Justin Farmer singled home Ondina a few pitches later to tie the game at one-all.
 
Adrian Figueroa doubled to deep left center to lead off the home half of the eighth inning. Figueroa gave the Panthers the go-ahead run, after the lanky first baseman scored on a Juan Teixeira RBI single. Teixeira then crossed home plate on a Luis Chavez sacrifice fly later in the inning for FIU's third and final run of the night.  
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers and the RedHawks continue the weekend set on Saturday with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m. Game two will start 45 minutes following the conclusion of game one. 

FAN ATTENDANCE
Due to physical distancing requirements, the total capacity at FIU Athletics events will be reduced this season. FIU's baseball games will be limited to 400 fans this spring due to the COVID-19 repopulation plan. For more information on tickets, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit here.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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