HOUSTON, Texas (May 20, 2023) – The FIU baseball team closed out the 2023 regular season with the series finale against Rice on Saturday afternoon.

The two teams battled from start to finish with a seventh-inning three-run home run by Adrian Figueroa giving the Panthers the, 10-7, victory.
 
The Owls struck first, taking the lead in the first inning, 1-0.
 
Rice's Ben Dukes opened the inning with a double that turned into a triple on a throwing error. Max Johnson picked up the RBI after reaching first on an error at second and pushing home Dukes.
 
FIU responded in the top of the second with two runs.
 
The Panthers loaded the bases with no outs for Roylan Quevedo. Quevedo hit into a double play but it allowed the runner at third to score and tie the game.
 
Noel Perez followed Quevedo and hit a ground-rule double to score the second run and put FIU in the lead, 2-1.
 
Alec Sanchez added the Panther's third run of the game in the top of the third with a RBI single into left field.
 
Nick Pitelli, making his first start of the season, raised the advantage to 4-1 in the fourth after belting a RBI triple to deep left center field.
 
Rice put together a five-run inning in the bottom of the fifth to take a 6-4 lead.
 
Dukes cut the Panthers advantage in half with a RBI double off the left field wall. Ben Royo tied the game with a two-run single. Guy Garibay completed the rally with the second two-run single of the inning to put the Owls ahead.
 
FIU was not down long, tying the game in the top of the sixth.
 
With the bases loaded and one out, Dante Girardi put a single through the left side, pushing home two runs to even the score at 6-6.
 
In the top of the seventh, Perez put FIU back in the lead, 7-6, with a RBI single down the right field line.
 
Rice responded in the bottom half of the inning after a solo home run by Nathan Becker tied the score at 7-7.
 
The back-and-forth contest continued into the eighth with FIU jumping back in front.
 
With two outs on the board, Rice intentionally walked Ryne Guida to bring up Figueroa who then hit a three-run home run to give the Panthers a 10-7 lead.
 
Figueroa's home run proved to be the difference as the Panthers closed the 2023 season with a victory.
 
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