BOCA RATON, Fla. – The FIU baseball team dropped the second game of its three-game series against Florida Atlantic, falling 6-5 at FAU Baseball Stadium on Saturday night.
In a tightly contested matchup, the Panthers (12-4) held a 5-3 lead heading into the seventh inning before allowing three runs with two outs, as the Owls (11-3) rallied to even the series in this non-conference rivalry showdown.
FIU struck first, getting on the board in the second inning when Brendan Roney laced a single to center field, bringing home Cole Cleveland.
The Panthers extended their lead in the fourth, as Alex Ulloa ripped an RBI single to left field to score Hector Candelas. Roney followed with his second RBI hit of the night, sending another single to center to push the advantage to 3-0.
Florida Atlantic responded in the bottom of the frame, tying the game at 3-3 with a two-run single and a sacrifice fly.
FIU reclaimed the lead in the sixth with an aggressive play on the bases, as Ulloa stole home with two outs to make it 4-3. Moments later in the seventh, Candelas tacked on an insurance run with an RBI single, giving the Panthers a 5-3 edge. However, the Owls mounted a late comeback, plating three runs in the seventh to take the lead for good.
Offensively, FIU recorded eight hits, led by a three-hit performance from Roney—his third career three-hit game with the Panthers. Austin Dearing added two hits from the two-spot in the lineup, while Candelas, Javier Crespo, and Ulloa each contributed a hit.
On the mound, Owen Puk got the start for FIU, allowing three earned runs over three innings while striking out two.
David Eckaus provided a strong effort in relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, extending his shutout streak to 8.1 innings.
Jaydon Bishop took the loss, surrendering three earned runs over 1.2 innings despite recording three strikeouts. Tracen Cameron closed the game with a scoreless eighth inning.
UP NEXT
FIU closes out the series on Sunday, March 9 at noon from FIU Baseball Stadium. It will be streamed on ESPN+.
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