Miami, Fla. – As the calendar flips to May, the focus for college baseball teams around the country intensifies with conference and NCAA Tournament implications on the line every time they take the field.
 
The Stetson Hatters head into the fourth month of the season on a four-game win streak, ranked 16^th in the nation in the latest RPI and leading the ASUN with an overall record of 34-11 to go with a 9-3 mark in league play.
 
The Hatters will play the first of two remaining non-conference games, both in Miami, tonight when they square off against an FIU team that is 21-22 overall, but is coming off a week during which the Panthers defeated Miami and took two of three from Marshall at Infinity Insurance Park. The Hatters will return to the Miami area on May 15 for a game in Coral Gables against the Hurricanes.
 
Game time is set for 7 p.m. tonight. The game will be broadcast on Panther Vision with a $6.95 fee to watch. Live stats will be available at Stetsonstats.com.
 
Stetson leads the all-time series against FIU 61-42. FIU joined with Stetson as a member of the ASUN from 1991-98. During those few years together, the ASUN was divided into divisions, with teams facing division foes six times. The Hatters led the series over those seasons 30-26, including a 14-10 record in Miami.
 
The Hatters will send junior Joey Gonzalez (7-3, 1.99) to the mound for a start in his hometown. In his last outing, last week against Florida State, Gonzalez worked seven-plus innings and earned the win in a 5-3 victory over Florida State. He already owns a win over FIU this year, that coming in relief back on March 21 in DeLand.
 
Gonzalez worked three shutout innings in relief of starter Ben Onyshko that night to get the win. So far this season he owns victories over in-state foes UCF, USF (twice), FSU and FIU.
 
In his career, Gonzalez has made three appearances against FIU, working a total of 10 innings while allowing three earned runs on seven hits with two walks and 10 strikeouts. The win earlier this year is his only decision.
 
The Panthers are expected to counter with sophomore right-hander Nick MacDonald (2-4, 4.64), who worked just three innings on Saturday in taking a loss against the Thundering Herd. He allowed two runs, one earned, on two hits while walking three. His best outing this year came on April 8 at UAB when he worked seven shutout innings with four strikeouts in a 3-0 FIU victory.
 
MacDonald owns a victory in his career against Stetson, that coming last March in Deland when he worked six shutout innings, allowing just three hits with six strikeouts in a 9-0 FIU win.
 
For FIU, junior Eddie Silva comes in swinging a hot bat. He was named Conference USA Hitter of the Week and Collegiate Baseball national player of the week for his efforts last week. He was 9-for-15 (.600) with four home runs, 12 RBI, a pair of doubles and a triple in the Panthers' four games last week.
 
Silva comes into Tuesday's game with a team-high 12 home runs on the year.
 
The Hatters have their own Player of the Week in senior Brooks Wilson, who earned the ASUN honor for a second time this year in helping Stetson to a 4-0 mark last week. In addition to driving in eight runs, Wilson also earned a win and a pair of saves on the mound. He comes into Tuesday's game needing one strikeout to become the fourth Stetson hurler with 300 Ks in his career.
 
In addition to Wilson, Stetson comes into Tuesday's game with a couple of others who are swinging hot bats. Sophomore outfielders Andrew MacNeil (.500) and Austin Bogart (.364) as did freshman infielder Eric Foggo (.333), who took over the team lead with his fourth home run of the year on Sunday.
 
While on the subject of home runs, it was on Saturday that Stetson had a hand in what might have been a first of its kind home run event. Bogart hit a solo home run in the third inning of the Stetson game, his second of the year, at North Florida. On the same day his older brother, Cody, hit a home run for Embry-Riddle in a game against Barry and younger brother Garrett hit a homer for Savannah State against North Carolina Central. The trio has just seven home runs this year, but three came on the same day.
 
Following the game against FIU, the Hatters will return home for a critical ASUN series against Jacksonville. The Dolphins (30-14, 8-4) sit second in the race for the ASUN title and enter play this week ranked 19^th in the most recent RPI rankings. JU will host Bethune-Cookman on Wednesday before travelling to Melching Field for the weekend series.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.