Miami, FL – After a rough game Friday night, the FIU Panthers bounced back throttling the FAU Owls avoiding the sweep, and snapping their eight-game skid. For FIU, Angel Tiburcio was on the mound, and for the FAU Owls, they went with opener Dylan Oborne.
Series Finale! #PawsUp
🎟️ https://t.co/7rV8Uqrkq7
📺 https://t.co/sIXj4i1xAp pic.twitter.com/aMRKTv94ar— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) April 8, 2023
Game Two Mini Recap
Orlando Hernandez made his first start of the season and went three innings, struck out two, and allowed one run to the top player in Conference USA, Nolan Schanuel, a solo homer to left field.
After the home run, Orlando was taken out in place of Richie Peña. Peña ran into some trouble as he gave up three runs (all earned) on seven hits. Although he recorded two strikeouts, Peña also committed two hit-by-pitches.
As for the Panther offense, with nine hits in the game, they were only able to score three runs. One of them was on a Ruben Carpio RBI single and the second run was in the ninth inning by Adrian Figueroa who hit his first homer of the season.
Unfortunately, the issue with this team, as it has been all season long is the number of runs that they have given up in the backend of games. We saw that on Friday night and it was a big factor in FIUs losing streak continuing.
Game Three Recap
After a smooth top of the first for the Panthers, they played a game of patience and got to pitcher Dylan Oborne early on. After loading up the bases with a hit by Carpio and two walks worked by Dante Girardi and Alec Sanchez, that set up the stage for slugger Ryne Guida.
With Guida up at the plate, the Owls decided to make a change and removed Oborne from the game. In place for him, they went with Brandon Smith. On a 0-1 count, Smith hit Ryne Guida on the helmet. Thankfully, Guida was okay. It drove in run number one for the Panthers.
Figueroa played the same game as everyone else, working the walk to drive in Girardi and extend the FIU lead, to 2-0.
Figgy draws a bases loaded walk to score another! #PawsUp
B1 – FIU 2, FAU 0 pic.twitter.com/aBaY1iMuly
— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) April 8, 2023
FAU got their first run of the game at the top of the third. With a lead-off double by Armando Albert, Nolan Schanuel hit a one-out single moving Albert up. Jackson Ross hit a sac fly to drive in Albert for run number one of the Owls.
Owls get on the board with a sac fly by Jackson Ross. Doubles from Armando Albert and @NSchanuel in the inning.
M3 I FAU 1, FIU 2
— FAU Baseball (@FAUBaseball) April 8, 2023
In the bottom of the third inning, FIU was able to add to their lead thanks to a Figueroa RBI single which drove in Girardi who had hit a single earlier in the inning.
Figgy adds an RBI single to his Sunday resume!🔥 #PawsUp
B3 – FIU 3, FAU 1 pic.twitter.com/rw5Du0KLwq
— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) April 8, 2023
As mentioned before, the name of the game for FIU was patience. Furthermore, at the bottom of the fourth inning, the Panthers worked three straight walks to load them. Next, the heart of the lineup was up. Ruben Carpio extended the Panther lead with an RBI double. Additionally, he drove in Quevedo and Roney extending the Panthers’ lead, 5-1.
Ruben Carpio extends the Panthers lead with an RBI double. #FIU now leads, 5-1 pic.twitter.com/LxEaETtgzA
— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) April 8, 2023
After Girardi struck out, Sanchez stepped up to the plate and smacked an RBI single to right center field to drive in Figueroa making it 6-1 FIU.
Sanchez gets in on the hit parade with a RBI single! #PawsUp
B4 – FIU 6, FAU 1 pic.twitter.com/znx8L077t8
— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) April 8, 2023
After the Sanchez RBI, Guida drew a free pass and once again loaded the bases. After the walk, Figueroa stepped up to the plate and drove in a run through a fielder’s choice. FIU once again padded the lead, to 7-1.
In the top of the fifth, the Owls were able to finally add a run. With Armando Albert getting a hit after a Jalen Debose foul out, Schanuel hit an RBI double to drive in Albert. It was the Owls’ second and last run of the game.
An RBI double by @nschanuel in the 5th chips away at the FIU lead
E5 I FAU 2, FIU 7 pic.twitter.com/fL42qt3lig
— FAU Baseball (@FAUBaseball) April 8, 2023
After five innings of work, starter Angel Tiburcio is taken out of the game in place of Daniel McAuliffe. For Tiburcio, you couldn’t have asked for a better outing. Going five deep, striking out four, and only giving up two runs scattering seven hits. Tiburcio truly saved the bullpen and now we know that he has the ability to go deeper into the game.
What a day for Angel Tiburcio (person on the right)
5.0 IP, 6 H 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO, #PawsUp #FIU pic.twitter.com/A6kAGyMGtw
— Kevin Barral (@kevin_barral) April 8, 2023
Just when you thought that the Panthers would be done for the day, they most definitely were not. Putting up nine runs at the bottom of the sixth thanks to a bases-loaded walk, Mike Rosario’s RBI double, and RBI singles from Carpio and Girardi, these were the finishing touches on a 16-2 win. Sanchez and Guida hit back-to-back homers to hand FAU a mercy rule loss.
— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) April 8, 2023
Media Presser
Postgame when talking to coach Rich Witten, he certainly sounded motivated after the win. He described the victory as “one of the best games we’ve played in a long time.”
“I’m really proud of the group because you know, we’ve had a tough two weeks, but haven’t quit. They haven’t given up they played hard every single day and, you know, a couple of games haven’t gone out way and so I’m really glad to see them stick with the process and be rewarded with the big win today.”
🔊SOUND ON
Some motivational words from @hardhittnwitten to send you into the rest of the weekend! #PawsUp pic.twitter.com/UrSxWhUMgB
— FIU Baseball (@FIUBaseball) April 9, 2023
When asking coach Witten about Angel Tiburcio’s outing today and the decision to continue with him deep into the game, he mentioned how he has been “the most consistent starting pitcher.” Witten also mentioned that having someone as consistent as Tiburcio is big for them because it saves the bullpen.
“Every time you get a chance to use as few arms as possible and get a win, you’re gonna enjoy it.”
Someone who stood out today was left-fielder Ruben Carpio who went three for four with three RBIs. When talking to Coach Witten about Carpio’s success at the plate as of late and he told us that “Rubens just been swinging the bat well, he’s an offensive player.” Carpio this season is hitting .375 with a .385 OBP. Carpio entered the lineup just a couple of weeks ago and has made the case to stay in it for the remainder of the season.
Although he had a couple of shaky games returning from a wrist injury, Alec Sanchez put up a two-for-four day at the plate. It included a home run and three RBIs. “I feel good now and I think we’re about to get hot,” said Sanchez after the win. He is having a career year hitting .333, slugging .633, and getting on base at a .459 rate.
“Our time has come and you just gotta stick to it and just keep grinding throughout the season because it’s a long season,” Sanchez said when asking him about his emotions after snapping a season-long, eight-game losing streak.
FIU will now go on a midweek road trip to Fort Myers facing the ranked FGCU Eagles. Next weekend they will travel to Ruston, LA, and play the LA Tech Bulldogs. Starters for the series are still unknown, but it wouldn’t come as a surprise if Jackson Ritchey is the starter for the middle-week game.
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