FIU Baseball Can’t Hold Late Lead As Canes Score Eight Unanswered To Secure Win

MIAMI, FL – In what felt like a more exciting rerun of what we saw in Coral Gables last week, FIU looked to close out a baseball game with the lead, only for it to slip away dramatically.

Tonight’s loss wasn’t from a walk-off home run or a bunt but was still spectacular as the Canes went on a six-run tangent in the seventh inning to defeat the Panthers for the second time this season by a score of 14-7.

This is now their 12th straight loss to Miami, despite being the second time this season that they’ve led at least once against them in a game.

Both teams exchanged a single run in the first inning, then both teams went on a tear in the third. After three straight runs by the Canes in the upper half of action, FIU responded with three of their courtesy of Alex Ulloa, Jeff Liquori, and Kishon Frett.

The Hurricanes didn’t let up and dropped two more runs right after, and for the third time in the game up to this point, the Panthers had to fight back from a deficit, but they were consistent in answering.

FIU achieved a run in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings thanks in part to RBIs by Austin Dearing and Adrian Figueroa, along with a solo home run from Kishon Frett (His fourth straight) to take a 7-6 lead, their first and only of the game.

But the Panthers bullpen couldn’t keep it together as they allowed six runs in the top of the seventh inning, and then a couple more in the ninth just to make an FIU comeback even more impossible.

Both teams were lethal at bat, with 11 hits by the Panthers and Hurricanes. Still, Miami only capitalized off of mistakes made by FIU, who committed five errors.

FIU has been treading around a .500 record all season despite having one of the better starts to the season since 2014. That said, they stand with a 13-12 record as they get set to host the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs, who have the best overall record in Conference USA.

Unlike most weekend series, this one will begin on Thursday, March 28th at 6:30pm. They’ll then face off on both Friday and Saturday.