Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MIAMI (Feb. 8, 2013) – The FIU softball team (1-1) split the opening day of the 2013 Panther Invitational, falling to the Kansas Jayhawks, 6-3, and defeating the Georgetown Hoyas, 4-3, on Friday, Feb. 8, at the FIU Softball Complex.

In the night cap, game two, FIU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead. Bre Kaye led off the first inning with a single. Kaye advanced to third after stealing second and a wild pitch by the Hoya starter Megan Hyson. Following a walk by Krystal Garcia, the Panthers had runners on first and third with Brie Rojas coming to the plate. Rojas blasted her first home run of the season, sending a shot over the wall in left-center.  

FIU added its fourth run of the contest thanks to a Georgetown miscue. With the bases loaded, a throwing error by Georgetown pitcher Kelsey Kessler advanced Alex Casals from third to make the scored 4-0.

Georgetown got on the board in the fifth and sixth innings, cutting the Panther lead to 4-3. However, Graves closed out the game, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings for her first save of the season.

Freshman Corinne Jenkins (1-0) earned her first collegiate win, throwing 4.1 innings, yielding four hits, two runs (both earned), walking two and fanning four batters. Graves earned the saves, fanning two Hoyas in 1.1 innings of action. 

In the first game of the day, FIU fell behind early, 1-0, before a two-run home run by Aleima Lopez gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the first.
Kansas knotted the game back up in the ensuing inning courtesy of an Alex Hugo home run. The Jayhawks took a 3-2 lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Maggie Hull.

The Panthers responded in their half of the sixth with a sacrifice fly by Shelby Graves to tie the game at 3-3.

Kansas would close the door on FIU in the top of the seventh. With runners on first and second and two outs, KU's Hugo hit a three-run blast for the 6-3 advantage. Unable to overcome the three-run deficit, FIU fell to KU, 6-3.

Graves (0-1) took the loss, coming on in relief for starter Mariah Dawson, throwing 2.1 innings, allowing four runs on four hits.

FIU will continue this year's Panther Invitational with a pair of games on Saturday, Feb. 9. The Panthers will square off with N.C. State at 12:30 p.m. followed by a 3:00 p.m. contest versus an opponent to be determined. 

Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Twitter (@FIUSoftball) and become a fan on Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSoftball) for all the latest FIU Softball news. Follow all of FIU's 18 athletic teams on Google+ (FIU Athletics), Twitter (@FIUAthletics), Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSports), YouTube (FIUPanthers), and Instagram (FIUathletics).
The Blue and Gold will play 33 home games at the FIU Softball Complex. Season tickets for the 2013 season cost only $35 for public seating, $20 for FIU employees and alumni, or $70 for the Family Plan (2 Adults and 3 Youth). To purchase single-game or season tickets, call the FIU Ticket Office at (305) FIU-GAME, or online at  FIUSPORTS.com.

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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses
(Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. Its colleges and schools offer more than 180 bachelors, masters and doctoral
programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU is worlds ahead in its local and global engagement, finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission and enrolls nearly 48,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. More than 140,000 alumni live and work in South Florida. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/