Tuesday March 25, 2003

Golden Panthers get back on winning track, 5-4 over Harvard
Box Score

Stopping any hopes of another rally in the ninth inning, Florida International topped Harvard 5-4 Tuesday evening at University Park. The game featured comebacks by both teams, with FIU grabbing the lead for good in the bottom of the eighth.

Harvard scored in the second inning to start things off, getting a sacrifice fly from Ian Wallace to score Schuyler Mann from third.

FIU quickly answered in the bottom of the stanza, courtesy of a trio of freshmen. Freshman designated hitter Jimmy Bacon started the offense with a single through the right side. Freshman infielder Luis Rivera followed with a single to right center, sending Bacon to third. Freshman outfielder Yahmed Yema then blooped a single and beat the throw to get Bacon home and tie the score.

The Golden Panthers took the lead in the third inning. Freshman infielder Bryan Pullin doubled to left center and then reached home a play later on an error. Harvard answered quickly though, tying the score in the fourth on consecutive doubles, which scored Brian Lentz.

Rivera gave FIU the lead back with a double to left center. The hit scored senior infielder Skip Adams, who had singled and then stole second.

With FIU ahead 3-2, Harvard once again came back to tie the score, this time on an unearned run. Mann singled down the right field line to score a runner who reached third on a passed ball.

The Crimson then retook the lead, going up 4-3 in the seventh on a Chris Mackey solo home run down the right field line.

FIU retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth. Pullin reached base on a throwing error to start the inning, and then advanced to second on a wild pitch. After junior outfielder Ricardo Nanita walked, Adams doubled to left center to make the score 5-4. For the game, Adams went 2-for-3 with two RBI, a double, a stolen base and a run scored.

Freshman closer Edgar Ramirez (Miami, Southridge) finished the game in the ninth, striking out the final two batters of the game. The save was his sixth of the year.

Luis Gazitua started and pitched seven innings in a no-decision. The right-handed junior struck out seven and walked zero.

The Golden Panthers next host conference foe Western Kentucky in a three-game series this weekend. The opening pitch of the first game is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Friday. The game will be broadcast on Radiate 88, FIU’s student radio station. The student broadcast can be heard on 88.1 FM in Miami or on the Internet at http://wrgp.fiu.edu/sports.