Saturday, May 3, 2003

Golden Panthers split Saturday doubleheader
Game 1: FIU beaten again, loses 8-6 to South Alabama
Box Score

Photo by Geoff Anderson Junior pitcher Arthur Santos hurled five innings for the Golden Panthers Saturday, shutting out South Alabama 5-0 for his second win of the season.

The Florida International baseball team’s losing streak reached six games as the Golden Panthers couldn’t overcome a four-run seventh inning by South Alabama Saturday at University Park. The game, the first of a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader, ended in a 8-6 loss for the Golden Panthers.

FIU jumped out 1-0 in the bottom of the first inning. Freshman infielder Mike Lopez walked and then reached second on a groundout. After another walk, senior outfielder Solomon Frieder singled to right field to score Lopez.

Lopez then gave the Golden Panthers another run in the third with his third home run of the season.

In the fifth inning, the Golden Panthers got in some trouble by committing consecutive errors to put runners on first and second with no outs. South Alabama took advantage, as Tim Land singled to load the bases and Kevin Sytko singled to center field to give the Jaguars a run. An RBI groundout from Brett Parker then tied the score at 2-2.

FIU quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning to regain the lead. Junior outfielder Ricardo Nanita drew a walk and then reached second on a wild pitch. Frieder grounded out to advance him to third and sophomore infielder Dennis Diaz sent him home by singling up the middle.

The lead was short-lived, as a two-run home run from Ryan Mulhern gave South Alabama its first lead of the game, 4-3, in the top of the sixth inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, the Golden Panthers tied the score back up. Senior catcher Michael New got hit by a pitch and then advanced to second on groundout. Lopez then came through at the plate again, hitting an RBI single up the middle.

South Alabama then blew the game open in the seventh with four runs to go up 8-4. After doubling and reaching third on a single, Sytko made it home on a wild pitch. Jason Gross then hit an RBI single and Mulhern singled to send home two more runners.

Nanita led off the inning for the Golden Panthers with a home run, his team-leading tenth of the year, to cut the score to 8-5.

Tim Land got USA the run back in the eighth. He first doubled and advanced to third on a groundout before reaching home on a wild pitch.

The Golden Panthers rallied again in the eighth. New walked and freshman infielder Luis Rivera doubled to left center to lead things off. After a fly-out, junior outfielder Fernando Alvarez singled through the left side to score New. Rivera then reached home when Nanita singled through the right side. The Golden Panthers would load the bases, but the threat ended with a strikeout.

Down 9-7, FIU couldn’t complete the rally. Freshman infielder Jimmy Bacon walked as the lead-off hitter, and Lopez walked later in the inning to put two men on, but the final batter flied out to end the game.

Game 2: Golden Panthers shut out South Alabama for Saturday split
Box Score

In the second game of a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader, the Florida International baseball team ended its losing streak with a 5-0 win in seven innings Saturday afternoon at University Park. The game was scheduled for just seven innings as an early game had to be played due to a rainout on Friday.

Junior right-hander Arthur Santos (Miami/Barbara Goleman) handed South Alabama its first conference shutout in five years, hurling five innings of three-strikeout ball in his second victory of the season. Sophomore right-hander Derek DeCarlo (Miami/Southridge) finished the game with the first save of his career, allowing one hit and one walk in two innings of work.

FIU staked a lead in the first inning for the second consecutive game. Freshman infielder Mike Lopez doubled to start the offense, and junior outfielder Ricardo Nanita followed up with a walk. Sophomore infielder Dennis Diaz then doubled to left center field, scoring both runners.

Up 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, the Golden Panthers got another score, courtesy of senior infielder Skip Adams. With two outs, Adams hit his seventh home run of the season, giving FIU a 3-0 lead.

A two-run home run in the sixth inning gave the Golden Panthers a 5-0 cushion. Freshman infielder David San Juan blasted the shot, the first of his collegiate career, with two outs in the inning and Skip Adams on second base.

The Golden Panthers host South Alabama in the final game of the series tomorrow at 12:00 p.m. at University Park. The game will be broadcast on Radiate 88, FIU’s student radio station. The broadcast can be heard on 88.1 FM in Miami or on the Internet at http://wrgp.fiu.edu/sports.