MIAMI – The FIU baseball program ventures out to Las Cruces, New Mexico as they take on the New Mexico State Aggies in a a three-game CUSA showdown from Presley Askew Field.

Friday, April. 19 at New Mexico State

• Time / Site: 8 p.m. at Presley Askew Field
• Watch  (ESPN+)
• Live Stats
• RHP Cameron Knox (1-3, 4.06 ERA) vs LHP Josh Sharman (1-2, 9.47 ERA)

Saturday, April. 20 at New Mexico State

• Time / Site: 4 p.m. at Presley Askew Field
• Watch  (ESPN+)
• Live Stats
• RHP Joel Pineiro (2-2, 5.50 ERA) vs RHP Treyjen Meza (3-5, 7.41 ERA)

Sunday, April. 21 at New Mexico State

• Time / Site: 1 p.m. at Presley Askew Field
• Listen
• Live Stats
• TBA vs LHP Hayden Walker (2-1, 4.54 ERA)

The Panthers resume CUSA action after closing out their six-game homestand that featured three non-conference matchups with the likes of Florida Gulf Coast, Florida Atlantic, and Wofford.
 
With 12 games left in conference play, FIU sits in fifth place with a mark of 7-5, a game back of fourth-place Western Kentucky.
 
FIU comes off a shutout victory this past Tuesday, April 16 to the Florida Atlantic Owls in a 1-0 win. In the first shutout win of 2024, the Panthers held Florida Atlantic to just four hits and struck out 11 batters. In addition, FIU secured their 20^th victory and one win shy of tying its win record from 2023 with 21.
 
This weekend will mark the third ever meeting between both schools and first ever as conference members. Both programs met in 2004 in Las Cruces and in 2005 in Miami when FIU swept the home weekend series.
 
THAT'S A SHUTOUT BROTHER
In their latest game, FIU emerged victorious with a 1-0 win against Florida Atlantic  marking the first shutout win for FIU since March 8, 2023 against Stetson in a 5-0 triumph at home.
 
Moreover, this victory marked the first shutout against Florida Atlantic since April 18, 2014 in a 6-0 win at the FIU Baseball Stadium.
 
Owen Puk, Jackson Ritchey, Jaydon Bishop, and Zac Lampton combined to give up no earned runs to the Owls offense and punched out 11 batters.
 
THOSE BATS DID THEIR THING
In the past five games, FIU has combined for a total of 44 hits and 27 runs.

Overall, on the season, the Panthers have recorded 17 games with 10+ hits as a team, boasting the team batting average to .288 and a team-OPS of .852.
 
As a unit, FIU's offense has been lethal with the bat in CUSA play. In 12 games, they d sit second in the conference in hits (136), and runs (107) and batting average of .323.
 
THEY CALL HIM THE HIT MACHINE
Ryne Guida has continued to be a pivotal piece in the top order of the Panthers lineup as the designated hitter, currently on his best stretch of the season.
 
The senior is currently on a 22 game on-base streak, his longest active streak of the season. In his current stretch, Guida has 26 hits, eight doubles, 19 RBIs, while playing in all 37 games played. He is currently hitting .314, leading the pack with 11 doubles and second in RBI (34).
 
On the weekend against Wofford, Guida logged five hits including a three-hit performance on Saturday, April. 13 with a pair of doubles and three RBI to help lead the Panthers to a win.

MY NAME IS JEFF
The DII transfer Jeff Liquori has been an impactful force in the Panthers lineup, having played in all 37 games primarily in right field.
 
He sits first with 37 RBI driven on the year and second on the team in homers (8). Liquori has bumped his batting average up to a team-leading .336 after notching five hits with four RBI, a double and homer vs Wofford. In addition, he secured the Panthers lone RBI against the Owls with a sacrifice fly, which was the game-winning run.
 
in his past ten games, Liquori has 12 hits in his past ten games with nine RBI and a pair of home runs.

THAT BALL IS OUTTA HERE
As a collective unit, the Panthers offense has lit up the box score with homers, 48 total as a ballclub. The 48 HRs is fourth  in Conference USA and 75th in the nation.

The power is led by Kishon Frett, who leads the pack with 11 homers on his campaign, including a two-run homer on Sunday, April 14.

Alex Ulloa sits third with 6. Austin Dearing has five, while Guida and Brylan West are tied with four.
 
ORLY IS TOO IMPRESSIVE
Orlando Hernandez is having a standout senior campaign and continued Friday, April 12 vs the Terriers as he posted four scoreless innings on just one hit allowed and no earned runs.
 
The senior has lowered his team-leading ERA to 0.94 with a 2-0 record and a pair of saves. He has fired 28.2 innings, allowing just three earned runs in 11 appearances.
 
LIGHT THE LAMP(TON)
The redshirt senior Zac Lampton has found his footing out the pen as he earned the save Tuesday night against the Owls.
 
Lampton showcased his prowess on the mound, securing his second save of the season with five strikeouts over two innings. Impressively, Lampton has allowed just one earned run in his past 12 innings pitched, solidifying his reputation as a reliable asset for the team. 

Lampton has made 13 appearances from the bullpen with a 3.14 ERA in 28.2 innings and leads the team in strikeouts (42).

MLB CONNECTIONS
FIU has multiple MLB connections on their roster as pitcher Orlando Hernandez is the son of 4x World Series Champion Orlando "El Duque" Hernandez and nephew of Marlins 1997 WS Champion Livan Hernandez.

Pitcher Joel Pineiro is the son of 12-year MLB veteran Joel Pineiro.

Pitcher Owen Puk is the brother of current Marlins relief pitcher AJ Puk.
 
SCOUTING THE AGGIES
New Mexico State heads into this weekend's conference contest with a 17-19 record, off a pair of midweek wins against Tarleton on April. 16 and 17 on the road. This past weekend, the Aggies pushed past Middle Tennessee on the road with a series win, taking game one 15-12 in extras before winning the rubber match on Sunday 9-1.

Offensively, senior Keith Jones II has paced the Aggies, leading the pack with a .412 average alongside 12 HRs and 54 RBI (7th in nation), leading CUSA in the respective categories. In addition, Jones has 15 doubles and a pair of triples.
 
Jones was named the reigning CUSA hitter of the week after belting four home runs and drove in nine RBI with a double in the conference weekend against Middle Tennessee. New Mexico State has the top offense in CUSA, hitting .300 as a ballclub with 276 RBI.
 
On the mound, starter Hayden Walker had a productive outing in his last start against Middle Tennessee on April 14. He fired seven innings on one-run allowed on seven hits and struck out six batters.

UP NEXT
FIU prepare for game two of the series against the Aggies on Saturday, April 20 for a 4 p.m. first pitch from Las Cruces. It can be streamed on ESPN+.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIU.Baseball), Twitter (@FIUBaseball), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUBaseball) for all the latest Baseball news.
 
General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.