MIAMI – The FIU baseball program heads to Murfreesboro, Tenn., this weekend for its first Conference USA (CUSA) road series of the season against the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders.
 
FIU (17-9, 2-1 CUSA) is in the midst of a nine-game road stretch, having won four of its last five games, including a commanding 9-1 midweek victory over Bethune-Cookman on Tuesday, March 25.
 
The Panthers enter their second CUSA series of the season following a series win over Jacksonville State last weekend to open conference play. This marks their second consecutive season starting CUSA action with a series victory.
 
At 17-9 through 26 games, FIU is off to its best start since 2014 and its best under third-year head coach Rich Witten.
 
Friday will mark the first real road contest outside the state of Florida.
 
FIU boasts a .283 team batting average, ranking fifth in the conference, while tallying 243 hits (third in the nation) and 414 total bases (third in CUSA). The Panthers have showcased their power with 37 home runs, ranking second in the conference and 28th nationally. Fourteen different players have contributed at least one home run this season.
 
Redshirt senior Kishon Frett leads the team in hits (33), home runs (8), triples (2), OPS (1.161), and slugging percentage (.677). Frett has been on a tear, recording seven hits, four RBIs, and two home runs in his last three games, including a four-hit performance on March 23—his third career four-hit game and second this season. His two-homer outing was the second of his career, the first coming against Western Kentucky in the 2024 CUSA Championship.
 
Senior Alex Ulloa has also found his rhythm, collecting seven hits in his last five games. He posted a two-hit, three-RBI performance against Bethune-Cookman and contributed multiple hits against Jacksonville State, including a home run on March 22. Ulloa leads FIU with 23 RBIs, ranking 10th in CUSA, and has driven in 11 runs with two home runs over his last 10 games.
 
Redshirt freshman Andrew Ildefonso continues to earn his spot in the lineup as the designated hitter, recording eight hits, seven RBIs, two doubles, a triple, and a home run in his past six games. Against Jacksonville State, he notched four hits, six RBIs, a double, a triple, and a home run, adding two more hits against Bethune-Cookman. Ildefonso is hitting .379 (11-for-29) over his last 10 games with two home runs and 11 RBIs, totaling 15 RBIs in 18 games this season.
 
Brylan West ranks second on the team with 30 hits, contributing six home runs, 14 RBIs, and a team-best six doubles. Senior Javier Crespo leads the team in batting average at .370, hitting .400 (8-for-20) with six RBIs over his last 10 games.
 
FIU's pitching staff has been stellar, racking up 279 strikeouts in 26 games—the most in CUSA and 10th in the nation. The Panthers have recorded 10 or more strikeouts in 15 games this season.
 
Junior Easton Marks has been a force on the mound, posting a 2.25 ERA over 28 innings with a team-leading 38 strikeouts. He delivered a strong performance against Jacksonville State on March 21, striking out seven over five innings—his fourth consecutive start of five or more innings.
 
Juan Villarreal has been a workhorse, logging 25 innings with a 2.88 ERA and 36 strikeouts. The Panama native owns a 5-1 record with two saves and is coming off a relief win on March 21, where he struck out five over three innings while allowing just one hit.
 
Jarek Woodward has been dominant out of the bullpen, boasting a 2.00 ERA over 18 innings while leading the team with two saves. He secured a save against Jacksonville State on March 23, allowing just one earned run over his last 8.1 innings.
 
David Eckaus has been a key bullpen contributor, carrying a 4.43 ERA over 20.1 innings. He made his first start of the season on March 23, working three innings with one earned run and a strikeout. Tracen Cameron rebounded with a strong relief outing on March 22, tossing three innings with four strikeouts. Cameron and Eckaus are tied for the team lead with nine appearances.
 
Owen Puk made his seventh start on Tuesday, striking out 26 batters in 23.2 innings. He has not allowed an earned run in his last six innings pitched.
 
HISTORY WITH MIDDLE TENNESSEE
Friday's contest marks the 59th meeting between these CUSA foes, with FIU winning 28 of the previous matchups in their 51-year history.

The Panthers won the last series matchup, taking two out of three at home last season.
 
SCOUTING THE BLUE RAIDERS
Middle Tennessee enters the series with a 13-11 record (1-2 CUSA), coming off a series loss to Dallas Baptist last weekend. The Blue Raiders dropped their midweek matchup against SEMO, 8-5, on March 25.
 
Offensively, Eston Snider leads the team with 39 hits, eight doubles, and a .419 batting average—second in CUSA. Brett Vondohlen tops the conference with 11 home runs (16th nationally) and leads MTSU with 26 RBIs.
 
On the mound, Drew Horn posts a 1.84 ERA in five starts, logging 29.1 innings with 43 strikeouts, including a no-hitter against Oakland on March 9. Chandler Alderman has made six starts, including a complete game against UAB on March 16, holding a 4.05 ERA over 26.2 innings. Trace Phillips carries a 4.44 ERA in five starts, striking out 32 batters over 24.1 innings.
 
Out of the bullpen, Ollie Akens has been a reliable arm, posting a 3.57 ERA over eight appearances, tossing 17.2 innings with 18 strikeouts.

UP NEXT
FIU heads to Coral Gables to take on the Miami Hurricanes on Wednesday, April 2 at 6 p.m.. from Alex Rodriguez Park at Mark Light Field. It wll be streamed live on ACC Network Extra.

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

SOCIAL MEDIA
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