The FIU baseball team will begin its Conference USA schedule on March 13 when it travels to Bowling Green, Kentucky, to face the reigning conference champions, Western Kentucky Hilltoppers. The three-game series at Nick Denes Field marks the start of league play for both teams.
This matchup is significant as FIU looks to improve upon last season’s sixth-place finish in Conference USA and build on its recent success in conference games. The Panthers finished the 2025 CUSA season with a 13-13 record, their highest win total since 2018, and earned a spot in the conference championship for the second consecutive year.
FIU enters the weekend with a 7-11 overall record after dropping its last six games, including an extra-inning loss to FGCU earlier in the week. Offensively, the Panthers have tallied 153 hits and 114 runs batted in this season, ranking among the top teams in Conference USA. Redshirt sophomore Andrew Ildefonso leads FIU with 23 hits and is tied for third-most hits in the conference. Samuel Fischer has posted a .322 batting average while leading the team in walks and hit-by-pitches. Other key contributors include Aidan Cohall with nine doubles and Mario Trivella who leads with six home runs.
On the pitching side, George Adams leads FIU with 20 strikeouts over 16 innings pitched. Preston Prince is set to make his second start of the season after two scoreless innings in his previous outing. The bullpen has seen strong performances from Enrique Sierra and Mason Koczwara.
The series will be the latest chapter in a long-standing rivalry between FIU and Western Kentucky, who have met nearly ninety times since 1999. While Western Kentucky holds a slight edge historically, FIU has won four of their last five meetings, including a sweep at home last April.
Western Kentucky comes into this series with a 9-8 record following a victory over Indiana State and features standout players such as Lane Arroyos on offense and Aaron Robertson on the mound. The Hilltoppers are coming off a championship season that saw them win forty-six games and earn an NCAA regional berth.
The next game between these teams is scheduled for Saturday at Nick Denes Field and will be streamed live online.
