10-12, 1-4
FIU
8-16, 1-4
FIU stuns Kats to even series
3/21/2026 5:47:00 PM | Baseball
MIAMI – Sam Houston had FIU on the ropes, but the home team responded with five runs in the ninth to stun the Bearkats and win 12-11 in walk-off fashion on Saturday at FIU Baseball Stadium.
The Kats (10-12, 1-4 CUSA) led 11-7 going into the ninth inning after retaking the lead with five runs in the top of the eighth, but loaded the bases with one out on three free bases that set the table for the FIU (8-16, 1-4 CUSA) comeback.
Samuel Fischer drew FIU to within a run with a 2-out walk with the bases loaded and Mario Trivella followed with a walk-off grand slam to snap the Panthers' 11-game losing streak.
It was Trivella's second home run of the game and the fourth homer by FIU hitters, capping a 7-RBI day for Trivella which day that saw all 12 FIUÂ runs cross the plate with two outs in an inning.
It spoiled a number of brilliant performances by the Kats, including 5.1 scoreless innings of relief from sophomore Tyler Ryden which included six strikeouts. Kade Neuenschwander struck out the first hitter he faced in the ninth, but was saddled with his third loss of the year after being charged with the game's final two runs.
The Kats out-hit FIU 12-9 and got another huge day from Jeric Curtis as he finished 5-for-5 with three stolen bases, three runs scored and a outfield assist in the fifth that kept the Kats within a run at 7-6 at the time. Ryan Franden homered for the fourth time this year and had a pair of RBI, while Caleb Cotton and Sean Bazmore also delivered 2-RBI games.
Sam Houston delivered the first blow with four runs in the top of the first against FIU starter George Adams, and things looked good for SHSU starter Collin Aloisio as the freshman retired the first five hitters he faced before FIU came to life, going 6-for-8 with two outs in the second and third innings with four extra-base hits to plate their seven runs.
Five of those runs came in the bottom of the second when FIU connected on three home runs, taking the lead on an opposite-field blast off the foul pole by Cooper Rasmussen. An inning later the Kats retired the first two hitters before getting into trouble again and allowing an RBI double to Fischer and a run-scoring single by Trivella.
But Ryden entered and settled things down on the bump, allowing the offense a chance to come back. They did just that with a 2-run homer from Franden in the fifth to get to within a 7-6 score and then a 5-run eighth that saw the game tied on a sac fly from Bazmore before Cotton put the Kats ahead 9-7 with a 2-run single. Two batters later the Kats got home two more on a wild pitch and an FIU error.
UP NEXTSam Houston will try to clinch the series on Sunday in the series finale. Sophomore righty Tate Hickman is set for the start. First pitch is set for 12:00 p.m. CT and will be aired on ESPN+.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Tracen Cameron (1-3)
L: Neuenschwander, Kade (0-3)
Batting:
2B: Alvord, Hunter 1
HR: Franden, Ryan 1
RBI: Cotton, Caleb 2 ; Franden, Ryan 2 ; Alvord, Hunter 1 ; Corcoran, Cade 1 ; Marthiljohni, Ty 1 ; Bazmore, Sean 2
SF: Alvord, Hunter 1 ; Corcoran, Cade 1 ; Bazmore, Sean 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Cotton, Caleb 2 ; Curtis, Jeric 3 ; Franden, Ryan 2 ; Corcoran, Cade 1 ; Marthiljohni, Ty 1 ; Baker, Wes 1 ; Blackman, Parker 1
SB: Curtis, Jeric 3 ; Bazmore, Sean 1 ; Blackman, Parker 1
Batting:
2B: Samuel Fischer 1
HR: Cooper Rasmussen 1 ; Mario Trivella 2 ; Caden Sammler 1
RBI: Cooper Rasmussen 1 ; Samuel Fischer 2 ; Mario Trivella 7 ; Caden Sammler 2
Base Running:
RUNS: Cooper Rasmussen 2 ; Cole Cleveland 1 ; Andrew Ildefonso 1 ; Trey Freeman 1 ; Samuel Fischer 3 ; Mario Trivella 2 ; Luca Reyes 1 ; Caden Sammler 1
SB: Mario Trivella 1
HBP: Cole Cleveland 1
