Wednesday, February 20, 2002

FIU Defeats Bethune-Cookman 14-5

o. 25 Florida International (8-1) defeated Bethune-Cookman for the 22nd consecutive time with a 14-5 over the Wildcats Wednesday afternoon in Daytona Beach. It was also FIU's eighth consecutive win. Sophomore Arthur Santos earned his first win of the year pitching six innings allowing no runs and only three hits while striking out nine. Adam Summerell went 5-6 with three RBI and hit his first home run as a Golden Panther.

The Golden Panthers scored first with three runs in the fourth. Brad Eldred hit a solo home run to left field, his fourth of the year. Hector Nunez followed with a single and scored on Tommy Duenas two-run home run, his second shot in two days.

FIU added four more runs in the fifth. Skip Adams scored on a RBI single by Bernie Gonzalez. Alex Ansoleaga came home when relief pitcher Seth Jerue was charged with a balk. Wildcat head coach Mervyl Melendez was ejected out of the game after arguing with the umpire after the call. Nunez added a two-run single bringing in Gonzalez and Eldred to increase the lead to 7-0.

Adam Summerell hit a RBI double in the sixth to score Skip Adams from first for the 8-0 lead. In the top of the seventh the Golden Panthers added their ninth run as Eldred doubled and tagged to third on Daniel Bustamante's flyout to center scoring on Nunez' RBI single, his third of the game.

The Wildcats scored five runs in the ninth to close the lead to 9-5. Pedro Pichardo led off with triple and scored on Sylvanna Dean's double to center. Carlos Marrero hit a RBI single scoring Dean. Bethune-Cookman scored their third run on a sacrifice fly by Wes Timmons. A throwing error by shortstop Skip Adams allowed two more runs to cross the plate for the Wildcats.

In the eighth FIU's Summerell hit his first home run as a Golden Panther to increase the lead to 10-5. Ansoleaga extended his nine-game hitting streak with a single to right field and scoring on Eldred's sacrifice fly. Daniel Bustamante added a RBI single to score Bernie Gonzalez to increase the lead to 12-5.

FIU continued the scoring with two more runs in the ninth. Summerell hit a RBI single to score Dean Adams and Ansoleaga hit a sacrifice fly.

FIU will return to action Friday night to face national champion Miami in Homestead, FL to open the 2002 Homestead Challenge. The Golden Panthers defeated the Hurricanes the 7-1 on February 6.