MIAMI, Fla. — FIU used a solo home run in the seventh to break a tie ballgame and the Panthers defeated UTSA by a score of 4-3 on Saturday afternoon at FIU Baseball Stadium.
FIU (21-15, 8-7 C-USA) slowly chipped away at UTSA's lead with runs in back-to-back innings in the fourth and fifth after UTSA (17-17, 7-8 C-USA) played an aggressive third inning that saw the Roadrunners take a 3-1 lead.
The Panthers scored early in the opening frame, but a three-run inning for UTSA put the Roadrunners on top. All nine UTSA batters went for a plate appearance and scored its three runs all with two outs.
Mason George scored the first run of the inning after he led off with a walk. A sacrifice bunt and a wild pitch placed the catcher 90 feet away from scoring and was driven in on the Roadrunners' second infield single of the inning. Two batters later and bases loaded, a fielding error by the Panthers third baseman allowed for the inning to continue and Trent Bowles to reach first, scoring Kevin Markham. Chris Estrada then laced a ball through the left side and plated Bryan Arias for the two-run lead .
Runs in the fourth and fifth for the Panthers eventually tied the game and lasted into the seventh inning when JC Escarra blasted a solo home run to left and put FIU up 4-3.
Closer Dominic LoBrutto held UTSA scoreless in his 1.1 innings on the hill to collect his third save of the season, while starter Nick MacDonald earned the win, as he pitched seven innings and allowed one earned run on six hits.
Pitching in relief, C.J. Pickering took the loss for the Roadrunners after giving up the go-head run.
Arias and George combined for four of the team's six hits with Brookover and Estrada registering the remaining two hits.
UTSA will return to the Alamo City and begin a five-game home stand at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, April 18, against Incarnate Word.
