MIAMI, Fla. — Jesse Baker hit his second grand slam in two weeks to help UTSA to a convincing 10-5 victory at FIU on Friday night at FIU Baseball Stadium.
With bases loaded and two outs, Baker swung at the first pitch he saw from relief pitcher Alex Demchak and blasted his second grand slam in two weeks to put UTSA up, 10-5. It was also his second homer of the week.
The senior outfielder finished the night 2-for-6 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a home run.
The score was tied twice throughout the night with the first coming in the fourth inning.
FIU (20-15, 7-7 C-USA) drew first blood in the second frame on a bases loaded hit by pitch, but the Roadrunners responded with a run in the fourth.
Trent Bowles singled with one out and made his way to second on his fifth steal of the season. The junior then crossed home plate on Mason George's RBI single.
UTSA (17-16, 7-7 C-USA) pulled ahead with a pair of runs in the following inning, but three runs by the Panthers in the fifth and sixth innings put FIU back on top, 4-3.
Baker and Kevin Markham both scored for UTSA in the fifth after Baker led off the inning reaching on a fielding error. A walk to Markham followed with a failed pickoff attempt put runners in scoring position. Baker then scored on Bryan Arias' RBI single while a Ben Brookover base knock drove in Markham.
In the top of the seventh, the ballgame revisited a tied score for the second time after UTSA produced a run on back-to-back doubles. After Brookover struck out to start off the inning, back-to-back doubles by Bowles and Chris Estrada scored the tying run.
FIU plated a run in the bottom of the eighth to lead 6-5, but the Roadrunners six-run ninth evened the series and keeps both teams tied in the league standings with a 7-7 Conference USA mark.
Right-hander Chris Muller picked up his second win of the season behind his four frames of work. Muller fanned eight, walked none and allowed two runs on three hits.
Muller's counterpart, Chandler Raiden took the loss in his one-third inning of work. Raiden gave up three runs on two hits.
Saturday's rubber game will be played at 11 a.m. (CT).
