Not many teams have been able to say they have defeated the University of Miami baseball team this season.
Florida International is now part of that group.
The Golden Panthers, who entered Wednesday's game 16 games below .500, stunned the top-ranked Hurricanes with an inspired 6-3 victory at Mark Light Field.
If these neighborhood rivals don't play again for a while -- Miami hasn't said if it will continue the series -- at least FIU got its licks in. FIU won the first meeting between the teams, defeating the Hurricanes 3-1 on March 14, 1973.
Miami still leads the series 91-24
''I'm really glad for our players and everything like that because Miami has a great program and a great team this season,'' said Turtle Thomas, FIU's first-year coach who was an assistant at Miami from 1988-99. ``I'm glad we got the job done. We did some good things and executed things well.''
FIU (14-29) got a great start from Eric Horstmann, who Miami's bats at bay before turning it over to James Lajiness (3-0) in the fourth. While Horstmann and Lajiness shut down the Hurricanes (33-5), FIU's offense did some damage, getting a run in the third when Ty Main scored after leading off with a double. FIU scored three in the sixth to take a 4-0 lead.
Miami, which turned a 10-3 deficit at FAU into a 12-10 victory April 16, battled back but never could grab the lead. Miami scored three in the seventh inning, two off a towering shot to right field from Jemile Weeks to make it 4-3.
The Canes looked to take over in the eighth, loading the bases with two outs. FIU put in Jorge Marban to pitch, but he quickly fell behind Yasmani Grandal 3-1. Grandal didn't wait on another ball, swinging at the 3-1 pitch and sending it to the wall in right. But FIU's Raimy Fuentes was there to make the grab.
''This is so great for our program and is a real morale booster for us,'' FIU's John Petika said. ``When Fuentes made the catch, that got us going.
``After that, I knew we wouldn't lose. Anything for us is possible. Hopefully we can get going and start rolling in conference play.''
After Fuentes' catch, Miami's threat was over. The Golden Panthers got two more runs in the top of the ninth to beat Miami for the first time since 2004 -- a stretch of seven consecutive Miami victories.
''We got outplayed,'' Miami coach Jim Morris said. ``They played very well, played good defense and came after us pitching wise. We made some mistakes and they made us pay for them.''
The Hurricanes and Golden Panthers have played every season since FIU started its baseball program in 1973, although Morris continues to avoid discussing whether the teams will play each other next season.
There is plenty of bad blood between Morris and Thomas, although these former associates shook hands twice before the game and were amicable afterward.
''I enjoyed my 12 years at Miami and wish coach Morris and his players well,'' Thomas said. ``It's always great to get a win in college baseball.''
FIU athletic director Pete Garcia said he hopes Morris and the Hurricanes decide the crosstown rivalry is worth saving -- at least in baseball. Garcia added that because of the proximity of the schools, they can play during the week and save school days for their student-athletes.
Garcia worked at Miami on separate occasions and in various capacities for more than a decade.
''Obviously we'd love to play and I have all the respect in the world for coach Morris,'' said Garcia, who took in the game from a field-level seat near the Miami dugout and wore his UM baseball national championship ring.
``Coach Morris will do what's right for his program and will do what's right for this community. I have all the faith that something will be worked out.''
