Saturday, February 2, 2002

FIU holds off UCF ninth inning rally to win 5-4

lorida International (1-1) held off a ninth inning rally to defeat UCF (1-1) 5-4 Saturday afternoon at University Park. FIU starter Michael Baluja picked up his first win of the year and Carlos Sanchez got his first save at FIU. Baluja pitched five innings allowing no runs and six hits. Freshman Alex Suarez went 3-3 with one RBI and Daniel Bustamante went 2-4 with a home run and a double with two RBI.

In the bottom of the second freshman Dennis Diaz hit a RBI infield single scoring Suarez to give the Golden Panthers the early 1-0 lead. They added two more runs in the third on a two-run home run from Bustamante, his second in two games, scoring Adam Summerell.

In the sixth inning UCF attempted a rally as Ty Hanson walked and advanced to third on Jeremy Frost's double. Baluja was replaced by freshman Derek DeCarlo. DeCarlo struck out pinch hitter Brian Steenson before walking Adam Miller to load the bases with one out. DeCarlo then got Dee Brown to line out into a double play to second baseman Diaz.

FIU added another run in the sixth as Tommy Duenas hit a double down the left field line and scored on a Suarez RBI single to give the Golden Panthers the 4-0 lead.

Once again the Golden Panthers bullpen ended a UCF rally as Luis Gazitua replaced DeCarlo in the eighth and with runners on second and first, struck out Brown and made Blaine Schulte line back to the pitcher to end the inning and the rally.

In the eighth, Bustamante continued his hot hitting over the weekend as he doubled down the right field and advanced on an error by the right fielder then scoring on a pass ball.

UCF was able to rally with four runs in ninth as they loaded the bases in the scoring their first run of the game on a RBI single by Frost scoring Clay Timpner before Gazitua was replaced by Carlos Sanchez. Bear scored the second run for UCF on a wild pitch by Sanchez. Another wild pitch by Sanchez with the bases loaded scored Nathan Kragt. The Golden Knights scored their fourth run as Miller reached on an error by first baseman Brad Eldred and Frost came home to close the lead to 5-4. Sanchez then got Matt Fox to ground out back to Sanchez to end the game and the Golden Panther their first win of the year.

FIU will return to action next Wednesday to face national champion Miami at University Park at 7:00pm.