MIAMI - The FIU baseball program completed the doubleheader sweep of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, winning game one, 10-8 in come-from behind fashion while the Panthere held on for a 10-4 victory in game two.
Owen Puk earned the start for the Panthers and held Notre Dame scoreless in the opening frame. In the bottom half of the first, FIU took the lead with a two-run homer from
Armando Becerra, his second of the season.
Puk then escaped a bases loaded jam in the top of the second after the Fighting Irish plated one run.
Logan Runde entered the game for FIU in relief of Puk and retired 10 straight batters to maintain the Panthers' advantage.
Ryne Guida then added to the lead with an opposite field home run to right in the bottom of the fourth to put the Panthers ahead 3-1. Becerra found his way on again with a single in the fourth and eventually came around to score on a sacrifice fly from
Roylan Quevedo.
Guida came up again in the fifth and hit a no-doubter home run off the scoreboard in left center field to give FIU a commanding 6-1 lead after five.
The Fighting Irish immediately responded with seven unanswered runs to take a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the seventh. In the bottom half,
Andre Martinez, whom had come in off the bench, launched a home run to left that put the Panthers within one.
FIU continued its offensive fireworks in the next inning as
Kishon Frett homered to tie the game, his second of the season.
Brylan West delivered the game-winning hit with a two-out RBI single to score Chase Englehard.
Jeff Liquori was able to provide the Panthers an insurance run with a RBI single. Ryan Cabarcas (1-0) earned the win, holding Notre Dame scoreless in the eighth and ninth innings.
Guida finished the opener 4-for-5 with two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI. FIU had 12 hits and left just five runners on base.
The Panther pitching staff produced 12 strikeouts as both Runde and Cabarcas had five each.
Pitching set the tune early in game two for the Panthers as starter
Joel Pineiro was able to hold off the Notre Dame bats, throwing five-no hit innings. FIU propelled themseveles to a 5-0 after five inning as Engelhard and West came across to score on wild pitches in the second. A Liquori RBI knock and Guida two-run double provided insurance in the fifth.
Notre Dame rallied back in the sixth and seven tacking on four runs, cutting the deficit to one.
The Panthers bats stayed ready as Frett launched his third home run of the series on a three-run shot to extend their lead, 8-4.
A run came around for the Fighting Irish in the eighth, however Becerra closed the gap with a two-run double response as the Panthers led by five.
Orlando Hernandez shut the door in the ninth to earn the save and complete the doubleheader sweep of Notre Dame.
UP NEXT
FIU looks to take a series victory in the finale on Sunday vs Notre Dame. First pitch is set for noon and can be streamed on ESPN+.
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