Friday, February 28, 2003

Golden Panthers beat Rattlers 7-1
Box Score

The Florida International baseball team got back on the winning track Friday afternoon, posting a 7–1 win over Florida A&M in Tallahassee. Preseason All-America Derek DeCarlo (five hits, four walks, three strikeouts) pitched the entire game and earned his second win of the year.

The Golden Panthers jumped to an early lead in the top of the first. Freshman designated hitter Bryan Pullin doubled down the right field line to start things off. Junior outfielder Ricardo Nanita then singled to advance him to third, and senior outfielder Adam Summerell brought him home with an RBI groundout.

The Rattlers came back to tie the score in the bottom half of the inning. The lead-off hitter, Frank Scott, singled and he was advanced to second by a sacrifice bunt. Ben Morgan then singled and Scott scored.

FIU retook the lead in the fifth inning, when sophomore infielder Dennis Diaz scored on a wild pitch. Diaz had drawn a walk to start the inning, then reached third on a throwing error. Nanita then doubled down the left field line, scoring another run and making the score 3-1.

In the top of the seventh inning, Pullin reached on a walk, and Nanita sent him home with a double to deep right center and advanced to third on the throw. Nanita then reached home on a wild pitch to make the score 5-1.

The Golden Panthers got their final two runs in the eighth. After senior outfielder Solomon Frieder walked and stole second base, freshman infielder Michael Lopez also walked and then both players executed a double steal. Senior catcher Michael New then hit an RBI single to score Frieder, and Diaz reached on a bunt, scoring Lopez in the process.

The Golden Panthers take on Florida A&M in the second game of the series tomorrow afternoon at 1:00 p.m.