MONROE, La.?Florida International
defeated ULM 8-3 Saturday afternoon at Warhawk Field to even the three-game Sun
Belt Conference series at a game apiece.
FIU (26-15, 11-9 Sun Belt)
broke open a 3-3 game with six runs in the fifth and sixth innings to end ULM's
nine-game home win streak and move back in front of the Warhawks into fourth
place in the league standings.
Tim Jobe provided the big blow
for the Golden Panthers launching a three-run home run over the scoreboard in
left-center field in the fifth inning.
Junior Arrojo gave the Golden
Panthers a 1-0 lead on the second pitch of the game sneaking a ball over the
wall in left field for a solo home run.
The Warhawks (25-17, 12-11) quickly
answered thanks to a two-run double off the bat of Matt Collins in the bottom
of the frame. Boomer Blanchard and Jon Prevost led off the game with
back-to-back singles and moved into scoring position on a pair of wild pitches.
Collins was the lone Warhawk
to record multiple hits on the night finishing 2-for-4. ULM ended the game with
seven hits breaking a streak of six straight Sun Belt games with 10 or more
base knocks.
FIU took a 3-2 lead in the top
of the fifth inning thanks to a lot of help from the Warhawks. Following a one-out
single by Jobe, Michael Vargas was hit by a pitch to put a pair of runners on
and Greg Waddell singled back up the middle for the first run of the inning.
ULM starter Jordy Poche then threw a pickoff attempt to second base into center
field allowing Vargas to move to third base and one pitch later Arrojo executed
a perfect suicide squeeze bunt for the second run of the inning.
As they did the first time
they fell behind, the Warhawks responded quickly in their half of the inning.
Ryan McMillan doubled down the line in left field to lead off the inning and moved to third on a
groundout by Perry Smith. After falling behind in the count 0-2, Blanchard hit
a deep fly ball to left allowing McMillan to score on the sacrifice fly.
The Golden Panthers chased
Poche in the top of the sixth plating four runs, including the three-run blast by
Jobe, to take a 7-3 lead. Jobe finished the game 3-for-4 with four RBIs after
adding a run-scoring double in the eighth.
Tom Ebert (5-2) picked up the
win for FIU allowing three runs on six hits over 5.2 innings of work. The
junior struggled with his control walking three, hitting three batters and
throwing three wild pitches after entering the game with just nine walks in
57.1 innings on the season.
Poche (2-4) took the loss
for ULM allowing seven runs ? six earned ? on seven hits over 5.1 innings. The
sophomore struck out two batters and walked three.
The teams play the rubber game
of the series tomorrow afternoon at 1 p.m. The Warhawks will send senior
southpaw Keith Christensen (4-2, 3.97 ERA) to the bump, while the Golden
Panthers will counter with junior lefty Corey Polizzano (3-3, 6.00).
Sunday is always Kids' Day at
Warhawk Field as all children 12 and under will be admitted free and will have
a chance to run on the field with their favorite player for the National
Anthem.
