Box Score Box Score (HTML) | Box Score (PDF)
MIAMI, Fla. - FIU RHP Cody Crouse allowed just one hit over 7.0 innings to lead the Panthers to a 7-2 win over Manhattan in the series opener at the FIU Baseball Stadium.
The hosts improved to 5-4 with the win while the Jaspers fall to 0-5 as the teams will resume their four-game with a 2 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.
FIU opened the scoring with an unearned run in the bottom of the first before adding two more in the bottom of the third and one each in the in the fifth and sixth in building a 5-0 lead.
After being limited to a Joe McClennan (Sr., Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall) infield single over the first six frames, Manhattan finally broke through in the seventh. Junior Christian Santisteban (Miami, Fla. / Gulliver Prep) led off the inning with a walk before senior Mikey Miranda (Miami, Fla. / Florida Christian) was plunked. A well-placed ground out moved the runners to second-and-third and sophomore Jason Patnick (Hopewell, N.J. / Hopewell Valley Central) followed with a two-run double down the left field to plate the pair.
Unfortunately, that would be as close as the Jaspers would get as the Panthers got those runs back in the bottom of the eighth in winning by a 7-2 score.
Senior RHP Scott McClennan (Highland Mills, N.Y. / Cornwall) was solid in his second outing of the year, striking out three while yielding four runs on four hits over 4.2 innings.
Crouse earned the win for FIU, striking out five while yielding two runs on one hit and two walks over 7.0 innings.
