Box Score Box Score
MIAMI – Southeastern Louisiana's
Tyler Watkins tossed the second complete game of his career while the Lions capitalized on five FIU errors to claim a 7-1 win Sunday night at FIU Baseball Stadium.
Watkins (1-0) scattered seven hits and fanned nine batters in recording his first complete game since a 7-1 victory at Stephen F. Austin on May 14, 2010. The 6-foot-5 right-hander allowed an unearned run as he helped Southeastern (2-1) claim the season-opening series and improve to 4-2 all-time against FIU (1-2) in Miami.
Southeastern, which scored five unearned runs, took advantage of a two-out error by FIU's Jeremy Patton to take a 2-0 lead in the first inning. FIU starter Danny DeSimone (0-1) forced a pair of ground outs to open the game before
Justin Boudreaux reached first on Patton's throwing error.
Jeff Harkensee followed three pitches later when he hit a two-run home run to right field, his first of the season, that gave Southeastern all the runs it would need.
Boudreaux gave Southeastern a 3-1 lead in the fifth when he greeted reliever Logan Dodds with a home run to left field before the Lions scored four runs – three of them unearned – in the eighth to put the game away.
Boudreaux and
Brock Hebert had two hits each to lead Southeastern, which collected seven hits and left 12 men on base. The duo each recorded RBI doubles in the eighth inning while
Jonathan Pace drove in a run on a sacrifice.
DeSimone gave up two hits and two runs – both unearned – in four innings of work for the Panthers. Garrett Wittels, who had his 56-game hitting streak snapped on Friday and entered Sunday's game 0-for-8 in the series, singled in his first at-bat and finished 1-for-3.
Jabari Henry drove in FIU's lone run when his RBI double in the fourth inning scored Pablo Bermudez, who reached on a two-out error.
Southeastern will return to action on Tuesday when it faces in-state rival Tulane (2-1) in the Lions' home opener at Pat Kenelly Diamond at Alumni Field.
First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. All Southeastern fans are encouraged to wear gold for the game. Tickets are available by calling the Southeastern Athletic Ticket Office at (985) 549-5466 or online at www.LionSports.net.
Southeastern La..... 200 010 040 - 7 7 3 (2-1)
FIU................. 000 100 000 - 1 7 5 (1-2)
Watkins and Cryer. DeSimone, Dodds (5), McVay (5), Arboleya (6), Ellis (9) and Behar. W – Watkins (1-0). L – DeSimone (0-1). E – Pace (1), Boudreaux (2), Hebert (3), Patton 2 (3), Wittels 2 (3), Flores (1). DP - FIU 1. LOB - SLU 12; FIU 10. 2B – Boudreaux (1), Hebert (1), Henry (1). HR – Boudreaux (1), Harkensee (1). HBP – Hargis 2, Martin, Wittels. SH – Pace (2). SB – Hebert (2), Martin (1), Capote 2 (2). T - 3:07. A – 953.
