Sunday, May 18, 2003

Arkansas State hands FIU 6-4 loss
Box Score

For the second straight weekend, the Florida International baseball team entered the final game of a Sun Belt Conference series with a chance to sweep, and for the second straight weekend, came up short, losing 6-4 to Arkansas State Sunday afternoon at University Park.

Arkansas State right-hander John Anderson earned his fourth win of the season in the start. Anderson confounded FIU hitters, pitching a no-hitter for six innings while walking just one and striking out two. He finished the game with three hits and two walks allowed.

The Indians (24-29, 9-14) grabbed the first lead of the game in the third inning, thanks to a three-run home run from Matt Rogelstad. The homer was first set up by Brent Cramer singling and Neal Chambers getting hit by a pitch.

They added to their lead in the fourth inning, when Chambers doubled with a man on second and two outs. The play ended the inning, however, as Chambers tried to stretch it into a triple and was thrown out at third.

In the seventh inning, Rogelstad doubled and Zach Shipley notched a base hit to send him home, giving the Indians a 5-0 lead. George Sterner then added to the lead with a bloop single to left field, scoring Shipley.

Down 6-0 in the bottom of the seventh inning, FIU freshman infielder Mike Lopez ended the shutout and the no-hitter in one swing, leading off with his fifth home run of the season. The rest of the line-up soon came alive as well. A walk for freshman designated hitter Bryan Pullin followed by singles from junior outfielder Ricardo Nanita and freshman infielder Jimmy Bacon loaded the bases and ended Anderson’s afternoon. Junior outfielder Fernando Alvarez then hit an RBI single, and a wild pitch versus the next batter scored Nanita from third. After senior outfielder Solomon Frieder walked to reload the bases, senior catcher Michael New earned a sacrifice fly, flying out to deep centerfield. The scoring ended with a groundout and a flyout, and FIU entered the eighth inning down 6-4.

FIU did offer a threat to tie the game in the ninth. Back-to-back walks from Alvarez and Frieder led off the inning. After a strikeout, both players advanced on a wild pitch. With runners now on second and third, FIU couldn’t take advantage as the next batter struck out and the final batter flew out to end the game.

The Golden Panthers (34-21, 12-12 SBC) next compete in the Sun Belt Conference Tournament in Lafayette, La., facing fourth-seeded Western Kentucky (31-21, 12-11 SBC) in their first contest on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern. The game will be broadcast on Radiate 88, FIU’s student radio station. The broadcast can be heard on 88.1 FM in Miami or on the Internet at http://wrgp.fiu.edu/sports.