LAFAYETTE ? Florida International jumped on Louisiana's pitching in the first two innings and relied on its bullpen for the final six-plus frames as the Golden Panthers held off the Ragin' Cajuns 8-4 Sunday at M.L. “Tigue” Moore Field.
Louisiana (11-14, 5-7 Sun Belt) has now lost seven of its first 10 home games this season. FIU (11-18, 5-4 Sun Belt) won its second straight Sun Belt Conference series.
The bottom five hitters in Louisiana's lineup combined for six of the Cajuns' nine hits, while its 3-5 hitters went 0-for-14.
Freshman Michael Cook (Lafayette, La.) entered the game with the lead, but would relinquish it before suffering the loss. Cook (3-2) was tagged four five runs on eight hits with four strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings.
FIU senior Eric Horstmann (2-0) pitched 6 1/3 innings of nearly flawless relief, scattering four hits.
Three different Cajuns recorded two hits ? Josh Logan (Magee, Miss.), Jordan Poirrier (Reserve, La.) and William Long (Valrico, Fla.). Brian Bowman (Lafayette, La.) added a hit and two RBI.
Junior Arrojo went 3-for-4, while Javier Sujo and Lammar Guy each drove in three runs for the Golden Panthers.
Brent Solich's (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.) Sunday start was a brief one as the senior didn't make out of the second inning. FIU touched Solich for two runs in the first for a 2-0 lead. A RBI single from Jorge Castillo and a Sujo sacrifice fly provided the Golden Panthers with the early two-run edge.
FIU's two-run lead didn't stand in the bottom of the first with the Cajuns scoring three runs. Logan led off with a triple to centerfield before Matt Goulas (New Iberia, La.) and Tyler Benzel (Groveland, Fla.) loaded the bases. Bowman followed with a two-RBI single to knot the game at two apiece.
Poirrier then drove in the go-ahead run, 3-2, with a RBI single to left-center.
The Golden Panthers matched Louisiana's three runs with a three-spot of their own in the second to take a 5-3 lead. Castillo's RBI single to left field allowed Steven Stropp to score the tying run. Sujo then put FIU ahead by two with a two-out two-RBI single through the left side, 5-3.
Louisiana cut the deficit in half, 5-4, in the third. William Long (Valrico, Fla.) drove in Bowman on a RBI single up the middle. The Cajuns later loaded the bases with an infield single by Logan, but Goulas grounded out to end Louisiana's threat.
FIU widened the gap in the sixth, scoring three runs to take an 8-4 lead. Guy, who homered twice in Friday's game, blasted a three-run home run over the left field fence, giving the Golden Panthers a four-run lead.
Louisiana concludes its four-game homestand Tuesday when the Ragin' Cajuns host the Lamar Cardinals at “The Tigue” for Season Ticket Redemption Night. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m.
FIU 8, Louisiana-Lafayette 4 (Mar 30, 2008 at Lafayette, La.)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
FIU................. 230 003 000 - 8 13 2 (11-18, 5-4 SUN BELT)
Louisiana-Lafayette. 301 000 000 - 4 9 2 (11-14, 5-7 SUN BELT)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Pitchers: FIU - Stewart, Steven; Horstmann, Eric(3). Louisiana-Lafayette - Solich, Brent; Cook, Michael(2); Harmon, Gregory(6).
Win-Horstmann, Eric(2-0) Loss-Cook, Michael(3-2) T-3:18 A-1480
HR FIU - Guy, Lammar (4).
Solich, B faced 1 batter in the 2nd.
-www.RaginCajuns.com-
