Senior Mariah Dawson was tagged with her first loss of the season in game one, going the distance and striking out five, while giving up four earned runs.  

The Badgers jumped ahead to an early 2-0 lead, scoring one run off an errant throw and then off a passed ball in the first inning. They tacked on two more in the second, one of which came off a solo shot to left center field.

 

Senior Rachel Slowik hit a one-out single in the third, which she was able to stretch into a three-bag affair, advancing to second on an error from the left fielder's throw before taking  third when no one was covering the bag. Slowik was eventually gunned down at home off a fielder's choice from senior Bre Kaye.

 

Redshirt freshman Marisa McGregor got a one out single in the home half of the fifth, her first of the season. Slowik followed with a walk, but Wisconsin would escape the jam with back-to-back strikeouts. 

 

The Badgers put up two more runs in the fifth and one in the sixth. Trailing 8-0 in the bottom of the sixth, junior Shelby Graves hit a one out double to left center, but the Panthers couldn't get a run across the plate, ending the game after six innings.

 

The Badgers held FIU to four hits in game one, its second lowest total this season.

 

Sophomore Corinne Jenkins took the mound in the second game of the day against Wisconsin, going 4 1/3, giving up one earned run. 

 

Wisconsin tried to jump ahead in the first for the second time in as many games, but a 5-3 double play would eliminate the Badgers' threat.  Wisconsin got on the board first in the top of the second, as Michelle Mueller drove in Ashley Van Zeeland from second base. The Badgers pinned another run to the board in the third, a solo shot to deep right center field.

 

Sophomore Aleima Lopez tossed out her second runner in as many nights trying to steal second in the top of the third. The inning ended with Slowik going 6-3 for the putout, with freshman Stephanie Texeira scooping up the throw in the dirt on the other end, shutting the Badgers down 1-2-3.

 

FIU's bats awoke in the home half of the fourth, when Lopez and redshirt freshman Dani Mowry hit back-to-back singles to break up Wisconsin's no-hit bid. Freshman Gabby Spallone hit a shot to short, which ate up the Badgers' short stop, resulting in an E6, setting up a two-on situation for junior Krystal Garcia. The Glendale, Ariz., native tied the game at 2-all with a double to deep left field.

 

Graves relieved Jenkins after 4 1/3 innings of work and got both batters she faced in the top of the fifth out. She finished the night giving up one hit in 2 2/3 innings. With two in scoring position, Lopez fielded the Badgers' bunt attempt and got the runner at third, 2-5. Slowik followed with a big 6-3 putout off a hit up the middle, eliminating the potential threat.

 

In the home half of the fifth, current Conference USA Player of the Week Texeira (1-for-3) drove a ball to deep center field for the second homerun of her career and of the tournament.  Last year's home run leader Lopez (2-for-4) followed one batter later with her second homerun of the tournament to left. FIU exited the fifth inning plating two and holding a 4-2 lead. Garcia (2-for-3) got involved in the homerun action as well, leading off the sixth with a solo shot to left.  FIU's three homeruns are the most in a since game since April 15, 2012 when they Panthers put up four against WKU.

 

Slowik then singled and took two bags off Wisconsin's second error of the night. With runners on the corners for Texeira, the Miami, Fla., native was plunked for her team-leading fifth time this season. With two outs and the bases loaded, Graves hit a bloop fly to center field that Chloe Miller was able to lay out and catch. Graves retired the final Badger batter in the top of the seventh with a 4-3 putout. Graves earned the win for her team-best fourth this season.

 

Clinching the No. 1 seed in the tournament, the Panthers will face the Georgia Southern Eagles tomorrow with first pitch slated for 12:30 p.m. 

 

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)

 

#####