CORAL GABLES, FL – FIU Baseball Stadium was a packed house today as they welcomed their crosstown rivals from Coral Gables. The Miami Hurricanes came into this contest looking to bounce back from a series loss at Duke, while the FIU Panthers were looking to just get into the win column for the first time in 10 games.
Both teams battled it out at first, with the game tied 3-3 through the fourth, before FIU’s hitting went cold and their pitching surrendered run after run. The Hurricanes would go on to win 10-3 after besting the Panthers in runners in scoring position opportunities.
Cats and Canes Trade Runs
Quin McManmon got the start for the Panthers today. In the first inning, he gave up a three-run home run to Miami’s most prominent hitter, Derek Williams.
Down by three, Cooper Rasmussen got FIU started with a leadoff home run, his fourth of the season.
Bot 1st
Miami 3 | FIU 1Cooper Rasmussen hits a leadoff home run#FIU | #Panthers | #PawsUp https://t.co/Zgm93j3jts
— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) March 18, 2026
In the second, McManmon delivered with a swift 1-2-3 inning to retire the side. He finished the game tossing just 39 pitches over two innings, surrendering three runs on two hits.
At the bottom of the third, the Panthers got back to work at the plate. Rasmussen drew a walk, and Aidan Cohall doubled to left after Miami’s Dylan Dubovik slipped on the field.
With baserunners in scoring position, Andrew Ildefonso hit a sacrifice fly to score Rasmussen, making it a 3-2 contest.
After Jeremy Urena took care of business on the mound in the third, striking out two of three batters he faced. The fourth inning was no different, except he got two of the three hitters he faced to ground out.
In the fourth, after Trivella walked and Cleveland singled, Trey Freeman tied the game at three apiece with a hit.
Bot 4th
Miami 3 | FIU 3We are all tied up at three after Trey Freeman hits a single#FIU | #Panthers | #PawsUp https://t.co/0CClL061yH
— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) March 18, 2026
Hurricanes Push Ahead for Good
After getting two quick outs in the fifth, however, luck ran out for Urena. With two runners on, Alex Cuvet hit an RBI single, scoring both Jake Ogden and Vance Sheahan to make it 5-3.
Cuvet delivers! A two-out, two RBI single 💪 pic.twitter.com/ueEkWQVMZS
— Miami Hurricanes Baseball (@CanesBaseball) March 18, 2026
Cuvet would then go on to score after Alex Sosa doubled, extending their lead to 6-3. Urena got tagged with the loss, tossing 2.2 innings, allowing four hits and three runs, while striking out three.
Sosa tallies another! 👋
It's 6-3 Canes! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/mKzGJpB23c
— Miami Hurricanes Baseball (@CanesBaseball) March 18, 2026
Jarek Woodward then made an appearance as FIU’s third pitcher of the game. Vance Sheahan knocked in an RBI single in the sixth, giving the Hurricanes a 7-3 edge. That was the only run and hit that Woodward allowed in what otherwise was a solid 2.1 inning bullpen outing from him.
The Hurricanes went back to work in the eighth. Sacrifice flies from Dylan Dubovik and Jake Ogden, along with an RBI single from Fabio Peralta, pushed the Miami lead to 10-3. Tracen Cameron gave up a total of three hits in the inning.
Despite allowing a pair of base runners in the ninth, Cooper Foster left the inning unscathed with three strikeouts. The Panthers finished the game with a lack of offense in the last five innings.
Cleveland and Freeman each had two hits on a night where FIU totaled eight as a team. The run difference in this game was the two-out hitting and runners in scoring position. UM hit .357 with two outs and .500 with runners in scoring position, while FIU hit just .111 and .125, respectively.
Se Formo La Gozadera
Fans flocked to the stadium to witness the presence of Gente de Zona. The Cuban reggaeton group came out to throw the ceremonial first pitch, and they took pictures with FIU players before the game.
Gente de Zona throws out the ceremonial first pitch before the @FIUBaseball game#FIU | #Panthers | #PawsUp pic.twitter.com/Rnp3Jgyw2F
— Ricardo Urrusuno (@RickScores) March 18, 2026
They stuck around for a few innings, taking pictures with fans and even participating in a T-shirt toss.
On Deck
The Panthers welcome Sam Houston to FIU Baseball Stadium this weekend from March 20-22.
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