MIAMI – The FIU baseball program prepares for a crucial pair of midweek in-state matchups this week, traveling to Fort Myers to face FGCU on Tuesday before returning home to host Miami on Wednesday at FIU Baseball Stadium.

Tuesday, April 22 at FGCU (15-24)

• Time / Site: 2 p.m. ET at Swanson Stadium

Wednesday, April 23 vs Miami (24-17)

• Time / Site: 6 p.m. ET at FIU Baseball Stadium

The Panthers enter the week with a 22-17 overall record and a 6-8 mark in Conference USA (CUSA) play, sitting seventh in the league standings. FIU looks to bounce back after being swept by Kennesaw State over the weekend.
 
This week's back-to-back games mark the team's only midweek two-game stretch of the season. Tuesday's contest at FGCU will be the second straight trip to Fort Myers, while Wednesday marks the first home clash against Miami this season from FIU Baseball Stadium.

Tuesday's game will be available exclusively on the FIU Athletics Audio Experience with Corey Brooks and Nick Garrido on the call.

FIU enters the week hitting .282 as a team—fifth-best in CUSA—while ranking third in RBI (259) and fifth in hits (363). The Panthers have launched 51 home runs, which ranks second in the league and 48th nationally.

Sophomore slugger Kishon Frett continues to shine, leading the team in home runs (15), RBI (31), triples (2), OPS (1.167), and slugging percentage (.700). Frett's 15th homer of the season came on Friday, April 18, making him the current leader in CUSA play (9 HR) and among the top nationally. He also set a new FIU single-season record with 20 hit-by-pitches, surpassing the previous mark of 19 set in 2006.

Brylan West has been another offensive force, leading the team with 50 hits, along with eight homers and 21 RBI. West is riding a 15-game on-base streak and is hitting .378 over his last 10 games.

Austin Dearing boasts a team-best .342 batting average and is currently second in CUSA with a .432 clip in conference play. He's on an eight-game hit streak, hitting .485 (16-for-33) with seven RBI and four doubles over his last 10 games.

Alex Ulloa remains a staple in the lineup, starting all 39 games and tallying 30 RBI. Javier Crespo has added 24 RBI, while Andrew Ildefonso, the team's primary designated hitter, is tied for the lead in doubles (9) and hitting .337 on the year.

Behind the plate, Brendan Roney and freshman Marc Hersh continue to share catching duties.

FIU's pitching staff has totaled 393 strikeouts—most in CUSA and among the nation's top teams—reaching double-digit strikeouts in 21 games.

Easton Marks delivered a career outing last Thursday at Kennesaw State, tossing seven innings with one earned run and eight strikeouts. He leads the team in ERA (3.67), innings pitched (49), and strikeouts (56).

Juan Villarreal follows with 54 strikeouts over 39 innings and holds a 6-2 record in 14 appearances.

Logan Runde has made nine starts with 13 appearances, while relievers Kevin Martin and David Eckaus have provided valuable innings. Martin has allowed just two earned runs over his last seven innings, while Eckaus has allowed two earned runs over his last 3.2 frames.

HISTORY WITH FGCU
Tuesday's meeting marks the 28th all-time matchup between the Panthers and Eagles, dating back to 2008.

FIU dropped the last contest on April 15, falling 13-3 in Fort Myers.

HISTORY WITH MIAMI
Wednesday will be the third meeting of the season between the crosstown foes and the 140th all-time meeting between FIU and Miami, dating back to 1973.

The teams have split the season series so far, with FIU earning a 10-2 win on April 2 in Coral Gables, before Miami took the first game on March 4 at loanDepot park in a 7-3 win. The Hurricanes took the last game at FIU Baseball Stadium, 6-5, on May 14, 2024.

SCOUTING THE EAGLES
The Eagles enter with a 15-24 overall record and a 6-12 mark in ASUN play, falling to Jacksonville in a road sweep this past weekend.

Robert Moya leads the team with a .307 batting average, adding seven home runs and 26 RBI. Harrison Povey has driven in a team-high 29 RBI and is the only Eagle to appear in all 39 games this season.

On the mound, starter Chris Diaz has tallied 48 strikeouts over 41.1 innings pitched. Evan Dempsey boasts a 1.77 ERA across nine appearances, while Preston Rogers has been a steady presence with a 2.76 ERA in 12 outings, recording 10 strikeouts.

SCOUTING THE HURRICANES
The Hurricanes stand at 24-17 overall and have won six straight, including a home sweep of No. 14 Georgia Tech, improving their ACC record to 9-9.

Sophomore Daniel Cuvet leads the offensive charge, hitting .325 with nine home runs and 50 RBI. Jake Ogden owns a .331 batting average across 41 games, driving in 23 runs, while infielder Dorian Gonzalez Jr. has added seven home runs to the lineup.

On the mound, Friday night starter Griffin Hugus holds a 3.79 ERA through 54.2 innings. Out of the bullpen, Will Smith has struck out 28 batters over 19 innings in 16 appearances. Midweek starter Reese Lumpkin has made eight starts, posting a 5.11 ERA across 37 innings.

UP NEXT
FIU hosts the first-pace No. 17 Western Kentucky Hilltoppers to FIU Baseball Stadium. First pitch on Friday, April 25 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
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