Friday May 23, 2003

FIU outslugs South Alabama 14-11, advances to face Western Kentucky
Box Score

The Florida International baseball team built a 13-5 lead and then held on to win 14-11 against South Alabama in a Sun Belt Conference Tournament elimination game Friday afternoon at “Tigue” Moore Field in Lafayette, La. With the win, the Golden Panthers advance to face Western Kentucky for the second time in three days this evening. The contest is tentatively scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern with a likely start time of 10:30 p.m.

Junior right-hander Luis Gazitua (Miami/Monsignor Pace) was credited with the win for the Golden Panthers after pitching seven innings of five-strikeout ball. His seven innings pitched tied a career high.

Derek DeCarlo (Miami/Southridge) hurled in relief for the second consecutive game and earned his second consecutive save in the process. The sophomore right-hander struck out one batter and allowed no hits, no walks and no runs in one and a third innings.

A big first inning gave the Golden Panthers a quick 3-0 lead. Junior outfielder Fernando Alvarez led the onslaught off with a walk and freshman infielder Mike Lopez followed with a single to left field. Junior outfielder Ricardo Nanita then cleared the bases with a triple to left center. Nanita scored when the next batter, senior outfielder Solomon Frieder, grounded out to second base.

South Alabama tied the score in the third inning. Tim Land singled and Kevin Sytko doubled to score Land. T. J. Touchstone followed with a triple to left center field, scoring Sytko and cutting the score to 3-2. Cole Craig tied the score with a sacrifice fly that scored Touchstone.

FIU stormed back with six runs in the fourth inning. Senior catcher Michael New started the inning off with double to right center. He scored when sophomore Dennis Diaz attempted a sacrifice bunt and the ball was thrown away. Lopez scored Diaz with a single through the right side, and then Lopez reached home on a Nanita double to left center. Frieder singled to score Nanita and then later scored on a throwing error. Senior infielder Skip Adams reached second base on the same play before freshman infielder Jimmy Bacon later singled through the right side to score him and give FIU a 9-3 lead.

The Jaguars came back with two runs in the bottom half of the inning. Adam Lind singled and then scored on a Land double. Land reached home when Brett Parker doubled to left center later in the inning.

The Golden Panthers responded by tacking on four runs in the sixth inning. Nanita singled and stole second base before Frieder came through with another single to score him. After consecutive walks loaded the bases, New hit a bloop single to score Frieder. A groundout from Diaz then scored Adams from third and gave the Golden Panthers a 13-5 lead.

USA got a run back in the seventh inning. Brett Parker got hit by a pitch, advanced to second when the next batter walked and then reached third on a passed ball. He finally got home on a Craig sacrifice fly.

Two singles and a walk loaded the bases for the Jaguars in the eighth inning, and Sytko took advantage with an RBI single. After another run scored off a hit batsman, Craig hit a three-run home run to draw USA to within 13-11.

FIU tacked on an insurance run in the ninth and DeCarlo retired three straight batters to finish the game. The run came off an RBI single from Frieder, a shot through the right side that scored senior outfielder Adam Summerell from third.

Tonight’s game against Western Kentucky could prove to be a preview of tomorrow’s action, because if the Golden Panthers win, they will face the Hilltoppers again Saturday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. All game action 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.