Box score

MOBILE, Ala. – Florida International used a four-run fourth inning to knock off University of South Alabama baseball 7-4 Sunday at Stanky Field.

FIU (18-14, 6-6 SBC) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a two-out, two-run double down the right field line by Josh Anderson.

Edwin Rios gave the Panthers a 3-0 lead with a leadoff homer to left field in the top of the fourth inning. An RBI single by Oscar Aguirre later in the inning increased the FIU lead to 4-0. One batter later, Roche Woodard delivered a two-run homer to left field to push the Panther lead to 6-0.

FIU right-hander Mike Franco (5-1) earned the win in 5 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with four strikeouts and a walk. Jaguar right-hander Tripp Cecil (2-1) suffered the loss in 3 1/3 innings, and allowed five runs on four hits with a strikeout and two walks.

“(Mike) Franco did a really good job, and we didn’t match him up,” head coach Mark Calvi said. “We struck out too many times. It’s unfortunate; I wish we had a better start today. But FIU did a good job – they are a quality team. Losing today bothers me. We had a chance, with a better performance, to go out and take this game and sweep an important series against a good team.

“One of my concerns, and it has been for the past six weeks, is having better starts. Our bullpen has done a nice job. Some starters have bent a little too much, and a couple of them have broken. But we’ll keep trying to find guys who can go out there and get the job done. Offensively, we’ve done a pretty good job up to this point but we didn’t get a lot of hits yesterday or today. We need to be more selective at the plate and put better at-bats together, and get better starts (on the mound).”

South Alabama pushed its first run across in the bottom of the fifth on an RBI single back up the middle by Drew Cofield that scored Dustin Dalken, who led off the inning with a double to left field.

Nolan Earley delivered a two-out RBI single inside the left field line that scored Bud Collura, who reached on a fielder’s choice earlier in the inning, to cut the FIU lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth. Dalken followed with an RBI single to left-center field to plate Jordan Patterson, who reached on a two-out walk, to cut the FIU lead in half. Robby Campbell reached on an FIU error at shortstop one batter later that allowed Earley to score from second and cut the Panther lead to 6-4.

FIU scored the game’s final run on a two-out RBI double by Rios in the top of the seventh inning.

Dalken went 2-for-4 with a double, one RBI and a run scored to lead the Jaguars at the plate. Earley added one hit, an RBI and one run, and Cofield finished with a hit and one RBI.

Rios finished 2-for-3 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs to lead FIU at the plate.

South Alabama (24-9, 7-5 SBC) will return to action Tue., April 9, when it hosts Nicholls State at 6:30 p.m. at Stanky Field.

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

—USA—