MIAMI – The FIU baseball program continued its hot start to the season with a commanding 10-0 run-rule shutout against Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday night at FIU Baseball Stadium.

The Panthers wasted no time applying offensive pressure, scoring in each of the first three innings before breaking the game open with a seven-run third inning, capped by a towering grand slam from Rene Lastres.
 
With the victory, FIU improves to 5-0, marking the best start under third-year head coach Rich Witten.
 
Senior Brylan West set the tone early, launching a leadoff solo home run—his second straight game with a homer. In the second inning, following a leadoff single from Alex Ulloa, outfielder Austin Dearing extended the lead with a two-run opposite-field blast to left-center, making it 3-0.
 
The Panthers' bats exploded in the third inning. A Bethune-Cookman fielding error brought in a run before Javier Crespo drove home two more with a single up the middle. Two batters later, with the bases loaded, Lastres crushed a 449-foot grand slam to deep left-center—his first home run of the season—stretching FIU's lead to 10-0.
 
FIU's pitching staff delivered a dominant performance, combining for a four-hit shutout over seven innings.
 
Logan Runde (1-0) made his second start of the season, tossing two scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. He was followed by Tristan Dietrich, Bryce Greene, David Eckaus, Andrew Ildefonso, and Kevin Martin, who each contributed a scoreless inning to secure FIU's first shutout win of the season. The staff combined for 10 strikeouts and allowed just four hits.

West and Ulloa each recorded two hits, while Crespo, Dearing, Lastres, and Kyle Koehler added one hit apiece.

UP NEXT
FIU welcomes in Delaware for a three-game series beginning on Friday, Feb. 21. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m, and can be streamed on ESPN+.

BAPTIST HEALTH
Presented by Baptist Health, The Official Sports Medicine Provider of FIU Athletics

SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIUBaseball on Facebook and @FIUBaseball on Twitter and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.