Post by FIUVoice on Mar 16, 2007 6:26:28 GMT -5
The Florida International baseball team opens its 2007 Sun Belt Conference slate and senior third baseman Bryan Pullin is eyeing a pair of school records heading into a three-game series against Western Kentucky, beginning with a 7 p.m. first pitch on Friday at University Park Stadium. The series continues on Saturday at 1 p.m. and concludes on Sunday at 12 noon.
Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for children 12 and under, and $3 for FIU faculty and staff. FIU students are admitted for free. Live stats will be transmitted for each game over the Internet and can be accessed from the baseball schedule page on www.fiusports.com. FIU’s student station, WRGP 88.1 FM and 95.3 FM, will broadcast all three games. Fans can listen to the broadcasts on the Internet at wrgp.fiu.edu.
FIU will start redshirt freshman Jorge Ramos (2-3, 4.09 ERA) Friday against WKU senior right-hander Liam Shanahan (0-2, 6.33 ERA). The reigning Sun Belt Pitcher of the Week, FIU junior Chris Allen (1-1, 4.19 ERA) will take the hill Saturday against Matt Ridings (2-1, 5.21 ERA), and Corey Polizzano (2-2, 5.74 ERA) will close out the series for FIU against Peter Wiggins (0-1, 9.68 ERA) in Sunday’s series finale.
The Golden Panthers (12-9 overall, 0-0 Sun Belt) are coming off a pair of one-run losses to Manhattan on Tuesday and Wednesday. Five out of FIU’s last seven games have been decided by a run.
Junior James McOwen’s numbers are still astronomical more than a third of the way through the regular season. McOwen is hitting a team-best .511 and leads the Golden Panthers in at-bats (92), runs (28), hits (47), doubles (9), triples (2) and total bases (63). While McOwen looks to be having a career year, Pullin is approaching some career milestones.
Pullin needs two doubles (54) and five hits (246) to become FIU’s all-time leader in both categories. He also ranks fourth all-time in total bases and runs scored at FIU. First baseman John Petika is looking to extend his 19-game hitting streak and leads the team with 28 RBI.
Western Kentucky is 1-7 in March, posting its only win of the month last week with a 12-11 win at Florida Atlantic. Seniors Scotty Colt (3B) and Casey Hamilton (DH) lead the Hilltoppers with 11 RBI apiece. Hamilton also leads the team with three home runs.
The Golden Panthers hold a 17-16 edge in the all-time series with the Hilltoppers and have won six of the last 10 meetings.
Should be a fun series....the team is now 0-0 this season as we start the new season tonight...the first non-conference games were a good tune-up....GO FIU!!!
TEARING IT DOWN TO BUILD IT UP
