MIAMI ? The big inning was the theme throughout the University of New Orleans baseball team's weekend series at Florida International.
On Sunday, it got the Privateers a much-needed Sun Belt Conference series win.
The Privateers belted five home runs and used a seven-run fifth inning to take an 11-10 win at FIU during a sun-filled afternoon in south Florida. The inning marked the third straight game that the winning team scored at least five runs in an inning.
Nick Schwaner hit two home runs, and Jerad Comarda went 3-for-5 and had a two-run shot as the Privateers (15-23, 6-12 Sun Belt) took a series at FIU for the first time under fifth-year head coach Tom Walter.
The duo was part of a 14-hit attack for UNO, which tied a season high for round trippers.
The game was called after eight innings due to UNO travel plans.
Along with Schwaner and Comarda, the Privateers also got home runs from Nick Mitchell (2-for-4) and Justin Edwards (2-for-4).
Randy Verdin (2-1) picked up his second win of the year, tossing 1 1/3 hitless innings in relief of starter Ricky Ott. Verdin did struggle with his control, issuing three walks and hitting a batter.
Corey Polizzano (3-3) picked up the loss after surrendering five hits and five runs in 4 2/3 innings. He gave up three home runs.
The Privateers jumped ahead early with a three-run first thanks to a solo home run from Mitchell and a two-run shot by Schwaner.
FIU got back into it with a two-run home run by Tyler Townsend in the third to make it 3-2. Both Polizzano and Ott settled down during the next few innings until the fifth.
UNO chased Polizzano after a two-run home run from Comarda, and the Privateers had seven straight hitters reach base against the FIU reliever duo of R.J. Fondon and Daniel DeSimone.
Schwaner greeted Fondon with a first-pitch home run, and UNO got RBI hits from Jay Morris, Edwards and Blake Doty to make it 10-2.
The Golden Panthers cut the lead to 10-6 with a four-run fifth, and FIU threatened to cut the lead even more in the sixth by putting runners on the corners with one out.
Mats Mattson came in, though, and sat down FIU's top two hitters ? Ryan Mollica and Townsend -- to escape the jam.
After UNO made it 11-6 on Edwards' first career home run, FIU got right back into it with a four-run seventh ? highlighted by a two-run double from Lammar Guy .
UNO closer David Burch got the final four outs to pick up his second save of the weekend. He escaped an eighth-inning jam after FIU put runners on second and third with one out.
But the senior struck out Steven Stropp and ? after a four-pitch walk ? got Guy to fly out to right field in getting his sixth save.
The Privateers, who ended a season-long nine-game road trip, will kick off a busy week on Tuesday against cross-town rival Tulane. First pitch is set for 6:30 p.m. at Maestri Field.
