FIU Snaps Cajuns' Win Streak, 9-1

LAFAYETTE ? Florida International spoiled senior Hunter Moody's (Clinton, La.) pursuit of school history as the Golden Panthers snapped the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns' four-game winning streak 9-1 Friday night at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.

FIU (10-17, 4-3 Sun Belt) kept Louisiana (10-13, 4-6 Sun Belt) winless at home on Friday nights this season. The win also snapped the Golden Panthers' five-game losing streak.

Moody (4-2) entered Friday night needing one victory to become the school's career wins leader was tagged for his first loss since March 8 against Arkansas State. He was victimized for four runs on a career-high-tying 11 hits with three strikeouts in seven innings of work. Moody made his 44th career start on the mound, moving into fourth place on the school's all-time list. He also moved into fifth place on the career list with 296 1/3 innings pitched.

Chris Allen (3-2) earned the victory as the right-hander handcuffed the Cajuns offensively. Allen scattered six hits and surrendered the Cajuns' lone run before being relieved, while tossing seven strikeouts.

Matt Hicks (Houston, Texas) posted Louisiana's only multi-hit performance, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run. The Cajuns' 1-4 hitters accumulated five of their six hits.

FIU's Lammar Guy provided a significant amount of the Golden Panthers' offense, going 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI. Ty Main and Javier Sujo each added two hits and a RBI.

FIU jumped on Moody early as the Golden Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. With one out, Guy singled through the left side, but was later picked off between first and second. After Moody plunked Ryan Mollica, Steven Stropp avenged FIU's earlier base-running woes, delivering a two-run home run to left field for a 2-0 lead.

The Golden Panthers added another run in the fifth on Sujo's RBI single through the right side, giving the visitors a 3-0 lead.

Guy padded FIU's lead in the eighth with a solo home run to left field, 4-0. In the ensuing inning, the Golden Panthers more than doubled its previous eight-inning production, hanging five runs in the ninth. FIU rattled off four straight one-out hits in the final frame, including Guy's second home run of the night ? this time a three-run effort ? for a commanding 9-0 advantage.

Hicks finally put the Cajuns on the board in the bottom of the ninth as crushed Allen's 1-0 offering over the left field fence, cutting the deficit to 9-1. For Hicks, it was his first home run of the season outside of the state of Texas ? he hit two home runs at the UTSA Baseball Classic and another at Rice.

Louisiana continues its home Sun Belt Conference series with game two Saturday against the FIU Golden Panthers. The game, which will be televised locally on my KLAF-TV (Cox Channel 13), is slated to begin at 2:05 p.m.

FIU 9, Louisiana-Lafayette 1 (Mar 28, 2008 at Lafayette, La.)

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FIU................. 020 010 015 - 9 15 2 (10-17, 4-3 SUN BELT)

Louisiana-Lafayette. 000 000 001 - 1 6 3 (10-13, 4-6 SUN BELT)

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Pitchers: FIU - Allen, Chris; Martinez, Carlos(9). Louisiana-Lafayette - Moody, Hunter; Wagley, Luke(8).

Win-Allen, Chris(3-2) Loss-Moody, Hunter(4-2) T-2:57 A-2123

HR FIU - Guy, Lammar 2 (3); Stropp, Steven (2).

HR UL - Hicks, Matt (4).

Moody, H faced 1 batter in the 8th.

Allen faced 2 batters in the 9th.

-www.RaginCajuns.com-

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