By Brett Shweky/Editor
With a four-game winning streak under their belts, the FIU Panthers are set to host the Stetson Hatters on Tuesday night to close out their six-outing homestand.
Opening pitch from the FIU Baseball Stadium is slated for 7 p.m.
Starting pitchers
Right-hander Franco Aleman (0-1, 4.76 ERA) will make his fourth start of the year for the Panthers, while left-hander Chris Gonzalez (1-0, 2.00 ERA) will get his third starting nod of the season for the Hatters.
Aleman has pitched in 11.1 innings for FIU with him having allowed 13 hits and six runs while striking out 15.
Gonzalez has given up 18 hits, eight runs and struck out 22 batters in the 18.0 innings he has thrown in for Stetson so far this season.
Last time out for FIU
The Panthers (9-6) secured their first series sweep of the season against the Seton Hall Pirates this past weekend.
Logan Allen headlined the top performers of the series for FIU as he threw seven scoreless innings on Friday, March 8, while only allowing one hit and striking out 11. The sophomore left-hander’s stellar outing earned him Conference USA Pitcher of the Week and one of the Collegiate National Players of the Week awards.
Allen (2-1, 1.17 ERA) has started four games for the Panthers with him having only allowed nine hits, five runs while striking out 42 batters, which ranks him third in the nation.
Prior to their series against Seton Hall, FIU split a two-game set against Florida A&M on Tuesday and Wednesday of last week.
FIU rebounded from their 3-2 heartbreaking loss in the opening game of the set on Tuesday, March 5, by winning 8-6 against the Rattlers on Wednesday, March 6.
Wednesday’s win over Florida A&M marked head coach Mervyl Melendez’s 600th career victory.
Scouting report for Stetson
Stetson (6-9) posted a 2-3 record last week after losing two out of three to Maryland in the weekend series and picking up one loss against Sacred Heart on Tuesday, March 5.
Outfielder Austin Bogart leads the Hatters in batting average (.351), runs scored (8), hits (20), RBIs (9) and slugging percentage (.509).
Infielder Jonathan Meola has also been instrumental in generating offense for Stetson with him placing second in RBIs (12) and hits (12).
Next on the schedule for FIU
Following their matchup against Stetson, the Panthers will travel to Huntington, WV as they take on the Marshall Thundering Herd in a three-game weekend series. The weekend set will mark the first conference series of the season.
First pitch on Friday is set for 2 p.m.
