MIAMI – The FIU baseball program capped off an impressive opening series with a commanding 12-2 victory in eight innings over Stonehill on Monday afternoon at FIU Baseball Stadium, securing a season-opening sweep.

With the win, FIU improves to 4-0—the program's best start since 2022—under third-year head coach Rich Witten.

For the second straight game, the Panthers' offense exploded for double-digit runs, tallying 12 on 15 hits. Three FIU players recorded three-hit performances in the victory.

FIU jumped out to an early lead with a pair of three-run innings in the second and third, building a 6-0 advantage. The Panthers continued to apply pressure, adding runs in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings to secure the run-rule win.

The scoring started in the second inning when Brylan West, with the bases loaded and no outs, lined a ball into the right-center gap to drive in two runs. Hector Candelas followed with an RBI groundout, scoring Kareh Valentin and completing the three-run frame.

In the third, FIU used small ball to extend its lead. A Cole Cleveland RBI bunt, a passed ball that allowed Crespo to score, and a sacrifice fly by Marc Hersh—his first collegiate RBI—pushed the advantage to 6-0.

After Stonehill responded with a solo home run in the fourth, FIU answered right back as Crespo delivered an RBI single to center field. The Skyhawks added another solo homer in the sixth, but it was the last time they would score as FIU rattled off five unanswered runs to close out the game.

Crespo plated a run with a groundout in the sixth before West launched his first home run of the season in the seventh, a two-run shot to left field. Crespo followed with a solo homer in the eighth, and Enrique Alvarez Jr. sealed the win with a pinch-hit walk-off single to enforce the 10-run rule.

Jarek Woodward (1-0) earned the win in his first start of the season, allowing just one run over four innings while striking out three. Jaydon Bishop followed with three solid innings in relief, surrendering one earned run and striking out two. Redshirt freshman Tracen Cameron closed out the game with a scoreless eighth inning.

Crespo and West led the Panthers at the plate, combining for six hits, two home runs, and seven RBIs. In his FIU debut, Crespo went 3-for-4 with three RBIs, while West capped off the four-game series with a three-hit, four-RBI performance. The Tampa, Fla., native is off to a scorching start, posting nine hits, four doubles, and five RBIs with an impressive 1.480 OPS.
 
Senior Alex Ulloa also reached base four times, collecting three hits, while fellow senior Albert Serrano continued his strong start to the season with a hit, a walk, and a hit-by-pitch. Freshman Marc Hersh made his first collegiate start, contributing two doubles and an RBI.

UP NEXT
FIU hits the road on Wednesday, Feb. 19 as they take on Bethune Cookman in Daytona Beach. First pitch is set at 6 p.m.

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