Wednesday, April 9, 2003

Bethune-Cookman confounds FIU again
Box Score

Giving up eight runs over two innings, the Florida International baseball team dropped another decision to Bethune-Cookman, 11-6, Wednesday evening in Daytona Beach, Fla. BCC now leads the season series three games to one with one contest remaining.

The Golden Panthers scored quickly, getting a run in the first inning. Freshman infielder Mike Lopez started things off with a single and freshman outfielder Yahmed Yema followed with a double. Junior outfielder Ricardo Nanita scored Lopez from third with a sacrifice fly to deep left center.

BCC answered in the bottom of the inning when Juan Figueroa singled to score John Gragg from third. The run was unearned because on the previous play, a BCC batter reached first on a strikeout and passed ball.

The Wildcats then took the lead in the third inning when Sebastien Boucher tripled down the right field line to score Brad Frick from first. Gragg then scored Boucher with a single. Following another single, Figueroa hit a three-run home run to give BCC a 6-1 lead.

Senior outfielder Solomon Frieder got back a run for FIU in the fourth with an RBI single through the right side which scored Nanita, who had earlier walked.

Boucher quickly answered with an RBI single of his own and Gragg followed with another to put BCC ahead 8-2. After that, Roberto Rodriguez doubled to score Gragg.

FIU came back to score again in the next inning. Freshman infielder Luis Rivera and Lopez both singled to start the rally, Nanita then walked, and finally Adams singled with the bases loaded for the RBI. After that, Lopez reached home on a passed ball to cut the lead to 9-4.

BCC responded with two more runs thanks to an RBI-single from Boucher and an error from FIU.

In the eighth inning, FIU attempted to rally again. Junior outfielder Fernando Alvarez singled and Frieder hit a two-run homer, his first of the season, to bring the Golden Panthers to within 11-6.

The Golden Panthers face the Wildcats in Game 2 of the series tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m.