April 28, 2001
Miami, Fla. - For the second straight day, the Western Kentucky baseball team was hurt by one bad inning, falling to Florida International 5-2 on Saturday.
The Hilltoppers (28-20, 11-9 SBC) struck first with a run in the second inning. 3B Tanner Townsend (Jr., London, Ky.) got things started, reaching on a fielder's choice. RF Brent Miller (Fr., Muncie, Ind.) followed with a single that took a bounce over the shoulder of FIU 2B Tino Burgos, putting runners at first and second. CF Tim Cleland (Sr., Klamath Falls, Ore.) then doubled down the left-field line, driving home Townsend to give WKU a 1-0 lead.
FIU (37-12, 13-7 SBC) took the lead in the bottom of the second with four runs off Hilltopper starter Ryan Bicondoa (Jr., Lovelock, Nev.). SS Mickey Torello hit a one-out double down the line in left. 3B Gus Alfonso followed with a home run to left, giving the Golden Panthers a 2-1 lead. Catcher Tommy Duenas followed the homer with a single to left and Burgos doubled to right to put runners at second and third. Bicondoa then threw a wild pitch, allowing Duenas to score from third. After LF Barry Paulk drew a walk and stole second, CF Matt Huntingford plated Burgos with an RBI groundout to make it a 4-1 FIU lead.
Western came back with a run in the third as 2B Brian Houdek (Sr., Dyer, Ind.) led off the frame with his third home run of the season to left, pulling the Toppers within two at 4-2. However, Florida International got that run back in the bottom of the third as RF Mike Quintana hit a one-out homer to left to make it a 5-2 game.
Bicondoa was able to shut down FIU for the next four innings, but ran into trouble in the eight. Torello led off the inning with a walk and Alfonso followed with a single to put runners on first and second. Igor Roiberg (Fr., Toronto, Canada) relieved Bicondoa and walked pinch hitter Brenden Hines to load the bases. But Mike Belch (Sr., Las Vegas, Nev.) came in and retired the next three batters to leave the bases full. However, Arthur Santos retired the Hilltoppers in order in the ninth to record in second save of the year.
Bicondoa (8-4) suffered the loss going 7.0 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits and striking out six. Miller led the offense with two hits.
The Hilltoppers and Golden Panthers will wrap up their series tomorrow at 11 a.m. (CDT).
-- WKU --
