FIU Athletics

2013 (Junior): Became one of FIU’s go-to guys in the closer position when Mike Gomez was lost for the season, saving four games…Allowed 46 hits over 57.1 innings pitched, while averaging more than a strikeout per inning, punching out 62…Posted a 3.14 ERA on the season…Struck out three in 1.1 innings of work against Rice (3/9)…Pitched 2.2 innings of effective relief, striking out four in an FIU victory at FAU (3/17)…In a tight 8-7 victory vs. Arkansas State, he struck out five over two innings without allowing a baserunner…Picked up his first save of the season against Florida A&M, coming in and punching out the two batters he faced…Had one of his best relief outings of the season at South Alabama, hurling 5.1 innings of two-hit ball, striking out eight batters and not allowing a run…Followed that up with back-to-back saves vs. ULM (4/13-4/14)….Had yet another long and effective outing at Middle Tennessee (4/20), scattering just three hits and one run in 5.1 innings of work…Struck out four and didn’t allow a hit in 2.2 innings of work at UALR (5/10)…Closed out the UALR series with a two-inning save in a 1-0 FIU victory (4/12).

2012 (RS Sophomore): Appeared in 20 games and sported an 0-1 record with a 3.54 ERA in 28 innings pitched… Struck out 25 with a .233 batting average against.

2011 (Sophomore): Used his redshirt season after only pitching in two games while recovering from a shoulder injury suffered the previous season… Tossed two-thirds of an inning against SLU (2/18) giving up two hits and striking out one… Gave up one run in an inning pitched against MVSU (2/26).

2010 (Freshman): Season with cut short by a shoulder injury… Tallied a 6.91 ERA in 14.1 innings pitched… Appeared in 14 games with a 4-0 record and one save… Recorded his first-career save at FGCU (3/16), pitching a perfect ninth inning… Earned wins in relief against Boston College (3/10), Troy (3/20), Jacksonville (3/24) and Louisiana (4/4)… Struck out nine batters… Had seven scoreless appearances.

Prior to FIU: Played for Pette Garcia at Palmetto Ridge High School in Naples, Fla.… Was All-State and All-Conference his sophomore and junior years… MVP his junior year… Played for the AAU Florida Bombers… Selected by the Minnesota Twins in the 50th round of the 2009 MLB First-Year Player Draft… Ranked 137th in the country by Perfect Game.

Personal: Born December 11, 1990… Son of Jorge and Amelia Cardenas… Has two siblings, Desiree and Lyris… Recreational therapy major with aspirations of playing professional baseball… Chose FIU after receiving interest from Miami and Central Florida.