Box Score Box Score
MIAMI – T.J. Shantz and Pablo Bermudez collected three hits each and Florida International got strong hitting from the bottom half of its lineup as it scored six runs in the first three innings and defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 8-3, on Saturday at FIU Baseball Stadium.
The series concludes Sunday in a 6:30 p.m. CST contest. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.com and available at www.LionSports.net. Senior right-hander
Tyler Watkins (6-3, 3.80 ERA in 2010) will start for Southeastern (1-1) while FIU (1-1) will counter with right-hander Danny DeSimone (3-2, 5.86 ERA).
Yoandy Barroso went 1-for-4 and drove in three runs, including a two-run double to highlight a three-run second inning for FIU. Shantz added an RBI double to highlight a three-run third for the Panthers, who built a 6-1 lead.
FIU collected 10 hits in the game off five Southeastern pitchers, with the Panthers' No. 6-9 hitters going a combined 8-for-14 from the plate with six RBI. Garrett Wittels, who's 56-game hitting streak was snapped on Friday in a 10-2 loss, went 0-for-4 for the second consecutive day, including a strikeout in the eighth inning by Lion freshman
Dylan Hills.
Southeastern took an early 1-0 lead as newcomer
Jonathan Pace connected on his first –and the Lions' first – home run of the season off FIU southpaw Phil Haig (1-0). The Lions added a run in the fourth inning when
Justin Boudreaux was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, moved to third on a single to right by
Jeff Harkensee and scored on an RBI ground out by
Joe Sparacino.
Pace, who finished 1-for-3, scored a in the eighth inning for the Lions when he drew a walk off FIU reliever D.J. Swatcheno. Moved to second on a wild pitch, third on a grounder and scored on a two-out throwing error by Jeremy Patton.
Haig pitched seven innings in his debut for the Panthers, scattering six hits and fanning eight batters.
Joseph Koon (0-1) took the loss for Southeastern after allowing six runs – five earned – and allowing six hits in 2.1 innings.
Jacob Ott pitched a team-high 2.2 innings for the Lions and allowed three hits and a pair of runs. The redshirt freshman tandem of
Steven Poche, who prepped at Baton Rouge's Parkview Baptist, and
Matt Pittari, a former Fontainebleau High product, each pitched a scoreless inning in relief for the Lions before Hills – a true freshman and former Ponchatoula High product – held FIU hitless in the eighth.
Cody Gougler led Southeastern at the plate as he went 2-for-4. Sparacino went 0-for-4 at the plate as his career-high 13-game hitting streak was snapped.
Southeastern La..... 100 100 010 - 3 6 2
FIU................. 033 020 00x - 8 10 1
Koon, Ott (3), Poche (6), Pittari (7), Hills (8) and Fisher. Haig, Swatcheno (8), Garcia (9) and Behar. W – Haig (1-0). L – Koon (0-1). E – Boudreaux (1), Koon (1), Patton (1). DP - FIU 2. LOB - SLU 6; FIU 10. 2B – Shantz (1), Barroso (1). HR – Pace (1). HBP - Boudreaux, Martinez, Behar. SF – Behar (1). T - 2:54. A – 1,031.
