MIAMI - Florida International right-hander Scott Rembisz held the Jaguars scoreless for eight consecutive innings to lead the Golden Panthers to an 8-1 win over University of South Alabama baseball Saturday evening at FIU Baseball Stadium.

Rembisz (7-4) earned the win in 8.1 innings, allowing one run on just five hits while striking out seven without issuing a walk. Rembisz retired 11 of 12 batters at one point in his longest outing of the season.

USA left-hander Lance Baxter (6-2) suffered the loss in four innings, allowing six runs on 12 hits while striking out two and walking one.

FIU shortstop Garrett Wittels went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and extended his hitting streak to an NCAA-best 44 games, which ranks fourth all-time in NCAA history. Jeremy Patton added three hits, while Mike Martinez, T.J. Shantz, Raiko Alfonso and Jose Behar added two hits apiece.

USA center fielder Taylor White went 2-for-4 to lead the Jags at the plate. Tyler Vick went 1-for-3 with a double and one RBI.

FIU center fielder Pablo Bermudez led off the bottom of the first with a solo home run to right-center field to give the Golden Panthers a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third inning, Florida International scored four runs on five hits. Jabari Henry led off the inning with a double to right-center, and later scored on a passed ball. Martinez had an RBI single, Jobe added a sacrifice fly to score Wittels and Alfonso added an RBI double.

The Golden Panthers added a run in the bottom of the fourth inning on an RBI single to left field by Martinez, and increased their lead to 7-0 in the bottom of the seventh on a solo home run by T.J. Shantz.

Behar extended the FIU lead to 8-0 in the bottom of the eighth on a solo home run to left field by Jose Behar.

South Alabama scored its lone run in the game in the top of the ninth inning when Vick lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to score Dominic Diaz, who pinch-ran for Jake Overstreet.

USA (30-22, 16-10 SBC) will conclude its series with FIU Sunday at noon (CT) at FIU Baseball Stadium.

For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

- USA -

 

NOTES:  Heisler extended his on-base streak to 32 games ... Adam Heisler stole his SBC-leading 25th base of the season, and broke a season-long four-game stretch in which the Jags did not steal a base ... South Alabama's five hits are its lowest hit total since April 10, when the Jags fell at Western Kentucky ... Saturday's lost marked the second road SBC series, and third overall, South Alabama has dropped this season ... USA fell to 25-21 all-time against FIU, and dropped its sixth consecutive game to the Golden Panthers ... The Jags fell to 8-9 all-time at FIU.