MIAMI – The FIU baseball program fell to the FGCU Eagles, 11-6, in extra innings Tuesday evening at FIU Baseball Stadium.
 
Trailing 5-0 through the early innings, FIU (7-11) rallied with a three-run fifth and two-run sixth to tie the contest before FGCU regained the lead in the eighth. Andrew Ildefonso delivered a sacrifice fly in the ninth to force extra innings, but the Eagles pulled away with a five-run tenth to secure the midweek victory.
 
FGCU opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first inning before adding a run on an RBI double and another RBI single in the second to take a 3-0 lead. A two-run single to left-center extended the Eagles' advantage to 5-0.
 
FIU responded in the fifth inning. After Samuel Fischer drew a walk and Aidan Cohall doubled down the right-field line, Mario Trivella laced a two-run double into left-center to bring the Panthers within two. Luca Reyes followed with an RBI groundout, trimming the deficit to 5-3.
 
In the sixth, FIU again threatened with two outs as Fischer and Trivella both worked walks. Cole Cleveland then delivered a two-run double into the left-center gap to tie the game at 5-5.
 
FGCU reclaimed the lead in the eighth inning on an RBI double by Evan Dempsey.
 
The Panthers answered in the ninth when Boston Doeschot reached on a leadoff walk. Pinch runner Adonys Velez advanced to third on a pitcher error before Ildefonso lifted a sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game and sending it to extra innings.
 
The Eagles capitalized in the tenth inning, scoring five runs to secure the 11-6 victory.
 
On the mound, FIU used eight pitchers in the contest. Jarek Woodward made his fourth start of the season, allowing five runs over 2.1 innings. Enrique Sierra continued his strong stretch, tossing 1.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts.
 
Tyrus Riley added two scoreless innings with a strikeout and has now not allowed a run over his last six innings of work. Jordan Vargas and Mason Koczwara also saw action out of the bullpen, while Bryce Turner was tagged with the loss after allowing three earned runs. Clayton Sherwood and Brennan Confreda closed out the night on the mound.
 
Offensively, FIU recorded 10 hits, led by a pair from Mario Trivella. Cole Cleveland posted his first three-hit performance of the season, while Samuel Fischer reached base three times via walk. Aidan Cohall and Andrew Ildefonso each added a hit in the contest.

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