Paws Up Preview – FIU Baseball vs Seton Hall

MIAMI, FL – The FIU Panthers currently stand with a 5-3 record, highlighted by a series split against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish where the Panthers put up a total of 25 runs between all four games.

After essentially not doing much to start the season, left fielder Kishon Frett hit four home runs between all four games and is now slashing .269/.355/.808/1.163 with four home runs and nine RBIs.

Along with Frett, senior Ryne Guida is now up to three home runs, 11 RBIs, and a slash line of .419/.500/.807/.1.307. He has played in every single game for the Panthers this season.

Former Savanah Banana Armando Becerra has been a mainstay in the Panthers lineup through the first eight games of the season with a .300/.400/.567/.967 with two home runs and eight RBIs. Defensively, Becerra has been great in center field with a .987 fielding percentage.

Through eight games, the Panthers rank second in home runs hit at 16, just behind recently number 25 ranked Dallas Baptist who have 18. In 2023, the Panthers ranked seventh out of ten teams in home runs hit.

The Panthers had strong pitching performances from Joel Pineiro, who went five shutout innings where he didn’t allow and hit and struck out six. In game one against the Fighting Irish, Owen Puk went two innings where he struck out two and gave up one run off of two hits.

On Sunday, reliever Cameron Knox went three innings of shutout baseball and struck out five in the process. He did not allow a hit. By far the best the backend of the rotation has looked.

Unfortunately, Friday starter Jackson Ritchey struggled for a second straight week. Giving up six runs off of five hits and one home run only limited Ritchey to three innings of work. He did strike out three but walked three along the way.

Logan Runde, who had a great debut for the Panthers on Opening Day came in for Puk in game one on Saturday and ended up going four innings where he gave up three runs off of three hits, but struck out five in the process.

Runde at some point may receive consideration for a starting rotation spot if he continues to pitch the way he is.

Although these were all strong performances, the Panthers still rank seventh in ERA and have given up the fourth most runs through eight games.

(All of these ranks are amongst Conference USA)

Through seven games this season, the Seton Hall Pirates are 5-2 with their wins being against Michigan State, Merrimack, Georgia State, and Wagner. Last season, the Pirates went 31-24 and 13-8 amongst their conference.

Catcher Staus Pokrovsky is off to a great start, slashing .379/.486/.724/1.210 with two home runs and eight RBIs. He leads the team in batting average and home runs.

Infielder Zack Sylvester currently leads the Pirates in OPS and RBIs. Sylvester is slashing .364/.588/.636/1.224 with one home run and nine RBI.

On the pitching side, current innings leader Daniel Frontera has posted a 6.52 ERA and has given up seven runs off of 12 hits and three home runs. Expect Frontera to be the Pirates Friday starter.

Cole Hansen, who should be the Saturday starter has posted a 5.00 ERA and has given up five runs off of eight hits and two home runs.

The Panthers and Pirates will begin their four-game set on Friday, March 1st at 6:30 pm but the only game of the four-game set that will be on ESPN+ is the Monday game which is at 6:00 pm.