MIAMI – The FIU Baseball program secured a doubleheader sweep of the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles Wednesday night from FIU Baseball Stadium. The Panthers rallied back to win in game one, 7-6, while Nick Pitelli was the walk-off hero in game two, 5-4.
 
With the bases loaded with one out, Pitelli came in to pinch-hit lined a ball to right field, scoring Austin Dearing to give the Panthers their 18^th win of the season.
 
Game one saw the resumption of the suspended April 2^nd matchup from Florida Gulf Coast. Into the ballgame, FIU trailed 6-3 into the top of the third, rallying back to score four unanswered runs in the fourth for the win. Matthew Corpas got the comeback started, spraying a RBI double into the left centerfield gap to score Jeff Liquori. Three batters later and the bases full, Ryne Guida grounded a ball down the left field line bringing home all three runs to take a 7-6 lead.
 
The pitching quieted the Florida Gulf Coast bats as Zac Lampton and Ryan Cabarcas posted a combined five scorless frames including Cabarcas notching his fifth save of the season. In addition, the lefty posted his 200^th career strikeout in the ballgame. David Eckaus earned the win in relief, working four innings.
 
In game two, which was altered to a seven-inning game, the Panthers pitching staff cruised along. Cameron Knox made the start, throwing three clean innings on two strikeouts. The Eagles took the lead first in the fourth on a RBI single before the Panthers responded back. In the bottom half, Guida and Alex Ulloa each blasted a pair of solo hits to put FIU up a run. For Guida, he logged three hits with five RBIs in the doubleheader while Ulloa notched his sixth homer of the season.
 
The Eagles tied up the ballgame in the fifth on a fielder's choice, yet in the sixth FIU got the lead back on a Guida RBI single. Liquori added to his team-leading RBIs (32) with a base knock, scoring the speedy J'Quann Smith.
 
Florida Gulf Coast tied up the ballgame in the seventh, before Pitelli was the hero for the Panthers in the bottom half.

 

UP NEXT
FIU heads into a CUSA bye week as they prepare for a weekend series against Wofford from FIU Baseball Stadium. First pitch on Friday, April 12 is set for 6:30 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.

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