MOBILE, Ala. — South Alabama won the first two games of its Sun Belt Conference baseball series against FIU at Eddie Stanky Field before the Panthers salvaged the finale 7-4, while the No. 23 Jaguar softball team swept Middle Tennessee.
Baseball Takes Two of Three From FIU
Jarron Cito pitched a season-high 7 2/3 innings in Friday’s 8-1 win, scattering nine hits and allowing one run with five strikeouts and three walks. Jeff DeBlieux went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, and seven Jaguars recorded hits.
South Alabama clinched the series with a 6-5 win in the second game, using four pitchers. Jacob Noble worked 4 2/3 innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on eight hits with three walks. Brandon Boyle earned the win with two innings of relief, giving up one run on two hits with three strikeouts and two walks. Dylan Stamey threw 1 1/3 hitless innings with four strikeouts, and Kyle Bartsch retired the side in order in the ninth for his seventh save of the season.
Cole Billingsley went 2-for-4 with a triple, a walk and three RBIs.
FIU took the finale 7-4. The Panthers scored twice in the top of the first on a two-out, two-run double down the right-field line, then added four runs in the fourth on a leadoff home run to left, an RBI single and a two-run homer to left for a 6-0 lead. South Alabama rallied but could not catch up.
Tripp Cecil took the loss, allowing five runs on four hits with one strikeout and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.
Sun Belt Baseball Standings
South Alabama improved to 24-9 overall and 7-5 in the Sun Belt, while FIU fell to 18-14 and 6-6. The Jaguars are tied with Troy, one game behind Florida Atlantic and Western Kentucky, who are both 8-4 in league play.
South Alabama hosts Nicholls State at Eddie Stanky Field on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.
No. 23 Softball Sweeps Middle Tennessee
The South Alabama softball team completed its second Sun Belt series sweep of the season, taking all three games from Middle Tennessee.
The Jaguars broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the third inning of Saturday’s opener and went on to a 9-1 win. They followed with 19 hits in a 13-3 run-rule victory in the second game.
Haley Fagan went 6-for-7 in the doubleheader with a home run, two runs scored and eight RBIs. Julie Moss went 6-for-8 with five runs scored and her second triple of the season. Meghan Collins hit two home runs, scored three times and drove in four runs, and Brittany Fowler had three hits, scored five runs and hit her team-leading eighth home run.
Hannah Campbell and Farish Beard each earned their 15th win of the season Saturday, combining for 15 strikeouts and no walks while holding Middle Tennessee to a .220 batting average. Campbell struck out seven and scattered six hits for her 16th complete game, allowing one earned run. Beard struck out eight and allowed five hits and three earned runs.
South Alabama finished the sweep with a shutout on Sunday. Alex Breeden went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, and Blair Johnson drove in three runs with two hits. Moss and Britany Campbell each had two hits, and Kaitlyn Griffith hit her seventh home run of the season.
Hannah Campbell earned her 16th win with two strikeouts and no walks, and she induced two double plays.
The Jaguars improved to 34-7 overall and 11-3 in the Sun Belt, leading the conference by two games in the win column over Western Kentucky (9-3). Middle Tennessee fell to 4-33 and 1-13.
South Alabama hosts Florida State at Jaguar Field on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
