MIAMI - If there was any doubt about late-inning magic at FIU Baseball Stadium, the Panthers erased it.
 
The FIU baseball program blasted a pair of walk-off home runs to secure a doubleheader sweep of Holy Cross, winning 6-5 in 12 innings in game one before storming back for a dramatic victory in game two capped by a Luca Reyes walk-off grand slam.
 
FIU (6-1) claimed its second straight series victory and extended its winning streak to six games, dating back to Feb. 14. As a team, the Panthers launched five home runs across the two games.
 
Reyes delivered a sensational performance in game two, belting two homers and driving in eight RBI.
 
Game One Recap
 
FIU struck first in the second inning when Samuel Fischer delivered an RBI single for a 1-0 lead. Holy Cross answered with a solo home run in the fourth and an RBI double in the fifth to take a 2-1 advantage.
 
The Panthers responded in the sixth. After Andrew Ildefonso singled, Cole Cleveland doubled into the left-center gap to tie the game. Reyes followed with an RBI single to give FIU a 3-2 edge, and Fischer added a solo home run to right — his second consecutive game with a homer — extending the lead to 4-2.
 
Holy Cross battled back with a run in the eighth before taking a 5-4 lead on an RBI double and sacrifice fly. FIU answered in the bottom half when Marc Hersh lifted a chopper into left field to score Fischer and force extra innings.
 
After both bullpens traded zeroes, Mario Trivella ended game one in the 12th inning with a walk-off home run to left field.
 
Sophomore George Adams started and tossed four innings, allowing one earned run with three strikeouts. Julian Mlodzinski worked three innings in relief, surrendering one earned run. Quin McManmon provided 1.2 scoreless innings, and Enrique Sierra closed out the 11th and 12th to earn his second win of the season.
 
FIU totaled nine hits in the opener, with Aidan Cohall and Fischer recording two hits apiece.
 
Game Two Recap
 
Holy Cross jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the second inning. FIU answered in the third when Reyes crushed a three-run homer to right field, cutting the deficit to 5-3. The Crusaders responded with three runs in the fourth to extend the lead to 8-3.
 
The Panthers chipped away, using a pair of hit-by-pitches and an RBI groundout to trim the margin, while Cooper Rasmussen launched his first home run of the season in the seventh to make it 10-7.
 
Into the ninth a Trivella single, a Hector Candelas hit-by-pitch and a Rasmussen single loaded the bases. Boston Doeschot reached on catcher's interference to bring home a run, and Fischer drew a bases-loaded walk to make it a one-run game. Ildefonso tied the contest with an infield RBI single.
 
With the bases loaded once again, Reyes delivered the final blow — a towering walk-off grand slam to seal the sweep. The walk-off marked FIU's first walk-off home run since April of last season.
 
On the mound, Jarek Woodward started and allowed five runs over three innings. Freshman Brennan Confreda delivered two scoreless innings in his first collegiate appearance. Taggert Cameron made his freshman debut, allowing two runs over the inning with two strikeouts. Tyler Mecchella earned his first win as a Panther, striking out three over two innings in relief.

Reyes finished the night with eight RBI and two home runs, while Rasmussen recorded his first multi-hit game of the season. Fischer reached base five times, drawing four walks.

UP NEXT
FIU closes out the series on Sunday, Feb. 22 at noon at FIU Baseball Stadium. It will be streamed live on ESPN+.

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