Saturday, May 17, 2003

Golden Panthers use long ball to put down Arkansas State, 10-7
Box Score

FIU made the most of its six base hits, and then held down a ninth-inning Arkansas State rally in Saturday’s 10-7 Sun Belt Conference victory at University Park.

The win pushed the Golden Panthers to 34-20 (12-11 Sun Belt Conference) on the year entering Sunday’s 1:00 p.m. regular season finale. ASU dropped its 10th-straight league decision, falling to 23-29 (8-14 SBC).

Two of FIU’s hits were home runs by Fernando Alvarez and Ricardo Nanita, who accounted for four of the six hits and combined to drive in six runs.

Alvarez’s blast, a third-inning grand slam, was the only hit in the frame for the Golden Panthers and erased a 3-2 deficit. Nanita, who drove in the first run of the game on a first-inning single, added a solo shot in the seventh, his team-leading 12th homer of the season.

The Golden Panthers carried a 10-3 lead into the ninth inning when ASU attempted a two-out comeback, scoring four times on four hits and an FIU error off relief pitcher Edgar Ramirez.

But RHP Josh Banks quelled the uprising, credited for the final one-third of an inning and earning his first save of the year.

FIU starting pitcher Luiz Gazitua (2-2) picked up the win, tossing the first seven innings, allowing three runs on eight hits. Arkansas State starter Karnie Vertz (4-7) took the loss despite giving up only three hits in seven innings.

Four walks and three Indian errors proved Vertz’s downfall with only one of the eight runs he allowed being earned.

The Indians, who finished with 12 hits on the afternoon, were led by Dusty Sexton and George Sterner with three hits each and home runs by Blake Denischuk and Matt Rogelstad.