With the game tied 6-6 late last night, all you want is your pitcher to get you through the inning and let your offense win the game for you. But Troy’s Ryan Ditthardt hit a solo go ahead homerun in the top of the eighth inning to silent the crowd at FIU Baseball Stadium. In a night where Troy struck first in the fourth inning with a 3-0 lead, the Panthers just chipped away until the bottom of the 6^th where they pulled away with a four run inning, to go ahead 5-3. The Panthers pinch hitter Raiko Alfonso came in for Sean Reilly in the bottom of the sixth who hit a game tying triple later followed by Pablo Bermudez and Jeremy Patton RBI singles to give the Panthers their first lead of the game. After that it was back-and-forth game as both teams cut into the lead. Troy’s Chad Watson would cut the deficit to one run has he hit a solo homerun. Eventually Troy would tie the game with a hard hit ball to the shortstop scoring the run from third. Coming from behind after you see your lead disappear marks the good teams from the great. The Panthers were able to keep their cool and enter the bottom the eighth inning and take the lead with fundamental baseball. It was all about moving the runners and sacrificing oneself for the better of the team. Two sacrifice flies did the job as Mike Martinez and Garrett Wittels came through in the clutch to pull away and give their pitchers the opportunity to win the game in the ninth inning. Eric Berkowitz did exactly what his coach told him to do, as he closed out the game with a perfect inning. The Panthers are in a four game winning streak and hope to sweep Troy in the last game of the series on Sunday afternoon. Coach Turtle has been able to keep the team focus after a short bump on the season. I asked Panthers infielder Michael Vargas on how Coach Turtle has been keeping the team focus during the win streak. Vargas told me that coach told them to “keep working and that one game doesn’t make or break us” also he mentioned that “one bump on the road doesn’t affect the season, it’s a long season.” Coach Turtle has done a good job to keep the boys focus and it looks like the Panthers are back to their winning ways.