MIAMI – The FIU baseball program dropped a 7-4 decision to Villanova on Friday night at FIU Baseball Stadium to open the 2026 season.
 
With the game tied at 3-3 entering the eighth inning, Villanova (1-0) plated four runs in the frame to pull away on Opening Night
 
FIU (0-1) struck first in the opening inning when designated hitter Luca Reyes ripped a triple into right-center field, scoring Andrew Ildefonso to give the Panthers an early 1-0 lead.
 
Villanova answered in the second with an RBI double and a run-scoring wild pitch to take a 2-1 advantage. The Wildcats added another run in the fourth capitalizing on an FIU error to extend the lead to 3-1.
 
The Panthers responded in the fifth, loading the bases with no outs to set up an RBI walk by Cole Cleveland, trimming the deficit to one. FIU later tied the contest at 3-3 on a wild pitch.
 
Villanova broke the tie in the eighth with a go-ahead three-run home run off Tracen Cameron and added a sacrifice fly to stretch the lead to 7-3. FIU pushed across a run in the bottom half of the inning on an RBI groundout by Marc Hersh, scoring Mario Trivella, but could not complete the comeback.
 
On the mound, Rhode Island transfer Jeremy Urena made the Opening Day start, allowing two earned runs over 2.2 innings while striking out four. Tyrus Riley provided three scoreless innings of relief with one strikeout. Cameron (0-1) was charged with the loss after surrendering four earned runs in 1.2 innings. Jordan Vargas made his Panther debut, tossing 1.2 hitless innings with one strikeout.
 
Offensively, FIU totaled five hits on the night. Hersh led the way with a two-hit performance and a RBI, while Samuel Fischer, Ildefonso and Reyes each recorded a hit.

UP NEXT
FIU prepares for game two of the series on Saturday, Feb. 14. First pitch from FIU Baseball Stadium vs the Wildcats is set for 3 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.

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