By Walter Villa

MIAMI—Garrett Wittels' hit streak is over, the victim of some overanxious cuts and a diving third baseman.
 
Wittels, Florida International's junior shortstop, went 0-for-4 on Friday night in a 10-2 loss to Southeastern Louisiana, snapping his hit streak at 56 games.
 
Wittels had been chasing former Oklahoma State star Robin Ventura, who hit in 58 in a row 24 years ago.
 
Ventura would have been in Miami inside the ESPNU broadcast booth Sunday night had Wittels kept the streak alive.
 
But that trip will no longer be needed.
 
In Wittels' first three at-bats Friday, he saw nine pitches and swung at seven. He grounded out weakly to shortstop, swinging at a 1-1 pitch with two runners on base. He then fouled out to right field and grounded to third, both on 0-1 pitches.
 
His best chance for a hit came in the eighth inning, when he came up with the bases loaded and one out. Wittels grounded sharply to the right of third baseman Jonathan Pace, who dove for the ball, got up and stepped on the bag for the force.
 
Had the bases been empty, Wittels' speed might have made that play a hit and kept the streak alive.

We'll have much more on Wittels in Monday's Three Strikes.