MIAMI – FIU's baseball program defeated Bethune-Cookman, 8-6, Tuesday evening at FIU Baseball Stadium.
 
With the game tied at 6-6 in the eighth inning, FIU (15-29) used a go-ahead two-run single from Cooper Rasmussen to secure the win over the Wildcats.
 
FIU jumped out early in the first inning as Mario Trivella drew a walk and Samuel Fischer followed with a single. Trivella later scored on an error by the second baseman to give the Panthers a 1-0 lead.
 
Bethune-Cookman evened the score in the second after a runner stole home, but FIU answered in the bottom half. Marc Hersh delivered an RBI infield single down the third-base line to regain a 2-1 advantage. The Panthers added to their lead in the third. With runners on second and third and no outs, Andrew Ildefonso ripped a two-run double to right-center to make it 4-1. Aidan Cohall followed with an RBI single to score Ildefonso, extending the lead to 5-1.
 
The Wildcats chipped away, scoring on a sacrifice fly in the fourth and a two-run homer in the fifth to cut the deficit to 5-4. Bethune-Cookman tied the game in the seventh with a solo home run and then took a 6-5 lead on a sacrifice fly.
 
FIU responded immediately in the bottom of the seventh as Trivella launched his team-leading 11th home run to tie the game at 6-6.
 
In the eighth, the Panthers broke through as Rasmussen lined a two-run single to left field, giving FIU an 8-6 lead it would not relinquish.
 
On the mound, FIU used five pitchers. Rene Lastres made the start, tossing two innings with two strikeouts. Matthew DelVecchio added two innings, allowing one run. George Adams worked one inning with two strikeouts, while Tracen Cameron allowed two runs over 1.2 innings. Jordan Vargas earned the win with 2.1 scoreless innings, striking out three.
 
Offensively, FIU recorded nine hits. Ildefonso and Rasmussen each posted multi-hit performances, while Trivella reached base three times, including his home run. Hersh, Enrique Alvarez Jr., Cohall, and Fischer each added hits in the victory.

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