Jabari Henry Shines as Defense and Long Ball Get it Done for FIU
Courtesy: FIUSports.com
          Release: 02/20/2010
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MIAMI - In his first collegiate at bat, freshman Jabari Henry launched a moon shot over the left field wall and finished 1-2 with two runs and four RBI to lead the Golden Panthers to an 11-2 win over the Terrapins Saturday night at the FIU Baseball Stadium.

Henry made his presence known in the bottom of the second when he saved a run by gunning out Brandon Padula at home plate to end the inning and any chance of a Terrapin rally.

"I was pumped after I got the guy out at home," said Henry on the throw. "I was fortunate enough to make a good throw and my catcher Sean Reilly did the rest."

With one out in the second inning, sophomore Garrett Wittels hit a double to center field then junior Yoandy Barroso advanced Wittels to third by ripping a single to left to set up runners on the corners for Henry. On a 1-1 pitch, Henry blasted a three-run home run onto the soccer field over left field scoreboard to give the Golden Panthers a 3-0 advantage.

"At the plate I was just trying to square one up and he just left one right there and I just drove it," Henry added about his first collegiate home run.

FIU manufactured the final run of the inning when sophomore Pablo Bermudez was caught in a run down, giving senior Junior Arrojo enough time to score and put FIU up 4-0.

"Jabari did a nice job tonight. He's been swinging the bat real well in batting practice," said head coach Turtle Thomas. "He got us started tonight when he threw that laser beam to Sean Reilly in the second inning."

In the top of the third, senior RHP Corey Polizzano pitched out of a jam after giving up two singles to lead off the inning. After a throwing error by Polizzano, UMD's Matthew Murakami lined out to the Arrojo who then dove back to the bag and doubled off Jon Wilson. On the next at bat, Maryland's Brandon Padula laced a ball to the third baseman Wittels who made a diving stop towards the third base line and threw him out to escape with one unearned run in the inning.

In the bottom half of the inning, sophomore Mike Martinez walked, giving way to senior Tim Jobe who blasted his first home run of the season over the left field wall to give FIU a 6-1 advantage and chase starting pitcher Eric Potter from the game. Henry and sophomore Raiko Alfonso would later score on a throwing error by the pitcher to put FIU up 8-1.

Jobe finished the night 3-5 with a run scored and two RBI while Wittels added three hits and scored two runs in addition to pitching the final inning of the contest.

The Golden Panthers would later tack on three more runs and give Pollizzano his first win of the season. He scattered seven hits over six strong innings striking out two and walking one Terrapin batter.

"I thought Corey did real well tonight," said Thomas. "He scattered his hits real well and had a good defense backing him up behind him. The guys did real well out there."

FIU Golden Panthers will go for the sweep against the Maryland Terrapins on Sunday, February 21 at Noon at the FIU Baseball Stadium. Toeing the rubber for the Golden Panthers will be sophomore Aaron Arboleya and he will square off against UMD's Sander Beck.
Jabari Henry celebrating his three-run home run
Jabari Henry celebrating his three-run home run

Courtesy: Samuel Lewis
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