Box score


MIAMI – Florida International scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to knock off the University of South Alabama baseball team 4-2 and clinch a Sun Belt Conference series sweep Sunday afternoon at FIU Baseball Stadium.

With the score tied 2-2 entering the bottom of the eighth, FIU (28-16, 13-8 SBC) scored two runs on an RBI single by Rudy Flores and RBI double by Jose Behar.

Kyle Fitzpatrick (7-1 ) earned the win in 2 1/3 shutout innings of relief, and allowed just two hits while striking out three and walking one.

Carlton Paris (2-4) suffered the loss in seven innings, allowing three runs on seven hits with two strikeouts and three walks.

Paris held FIU scoreless for the first four innings, and allowed only one hit until the bottom of the fifth when the Golden Panthers loaded the bases on three consecutive singles, and pushed the game’s first run across on a sacrifice fly to right field by Garrett Wittels.

T.J. Shantz doubled the FIU lead in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single that scored Jabari Henry, who doubled down the left field line earlier in the inning.

The Jags cut the FIU lead in half, 2-1, in the top of the seventh inning when Jake Overstreet doubled and later scored when Nolan Earley reached on a fielding error by Shantz. USA tied the game 2-2 later in the inning when Earley scored on a throwing error by Mike Martinez on a grounder to first base off the bat of Jordan Patterson.

Taylor White and Logan Kirkland each went 2-for-4 to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Jake Overstreet added a double and a run scored, and Earley had one RBI.

Shantz, Wittels and Behar had two hits and one RBI each to lead the Golden Panthers at the plate.

FIU starter Daniel DeSimone held South Alabama scoreless through the first six innings of the game before running into trouble in the seventh inning when the Jags scored two runs on one hit with the aid of three Golden Panther errors.

South Alabama (22-21, 9-12 SBC) will return to action Tuesday when it hosts Mississippi State in a 6 p.m. contest at Stanky Field.

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).