MIAMI (Feb. 25, 2014) – The FIU softball team (12-4)  split a mid-week double header against the Eastern Michigan Eagles Tuesday, first defeating the EMU, 6-2, in game one before falling, 5-4, in an extra-inning affair in game two.

 

Sophomore Corinne Jenkins picked up her sixth victory in game one, improving to 6-0 on the season. It's the first time in over a decade that a Panthers' pitcher has started the season 6-0. 

 

Jenkins made quick work of the Eagles lineup, striking out three through two innings and finishing with five overall. She held Eastern Michigan to just four hits and one run, which came after a nearly 40 minute weather delay.

 

FIU struck first in the second inning when senior Nicole Rascon was credit with her first RBI of the season off a single up the middle, which plated sophomore Aleima Lopez (2-for-3, 2 RBI), who led off the inning with a single up the middle as well. After stealing second and advancing to third off of senior Bre Kaye's second double of the season, junior Rebekah Sanchez (2-for-4, 1 RBI) plated Rascon off a fielder's choice. The RBI was the Placentia, Calif., native's first of her FIU career.

 

Jenkins continued to make quick work of the Eagles, working three 1-2-3 innings and finishing the other three after four batters. The Panthers tacked on three more runs in the home half of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead. Freshman Stephanie Texeira (1-for-2, 2 RBI) drove two in off an RBI double to left center, which plated Sanchez and junior Krystal Garcia.

 

After a 39-minute weather delay in the bottom of the sixth, the Panthers plated a sixth run, which came from a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from Lopez. It wasn't until the top of the seventh that Eastern Michigan got its leadoff hitter to reach base and also score a run, but Jenkins recorded her fourth and fifth strike outs of the outing to help retire the side.

 

Senior Mariah Dawson got the nod in game two, going four and 2/3 innings with five strikeouts and two earned runs off of four hits. 

 

The Eagles started hot and plated one run in the top of the first, but FIU was able to strand three Eagles' base runners off an unassisted putout at second base by redshirt freshman Dani Mowry.  The Cocoa, Fla., native was able to stop a hard hit ball up the middle. Texeira just missed her third home run of the season in the home half and drove in Garcia on double.

 

Redshirt freshman Marisa McGregor hit her first career double in the bottom of the second, but the game would remain scoreless through the top of the fifth when the Eagles drove in their second run on a two-out RBI double. Junior Shelby Graves inherited a runners-on-second-and-third situation, as Eastern Michigan would score three runs in the inning. She finished the night going three and 1/3 innings, striking out four and allowing one unearned run.

 

FIU got one run back in the home half of the fifth. Sanchez led off with a perfectly placed bunt single, which was followed by a single by Texeira. With runners on the corners, Texeira stole second, her first stolen base of her career, and forced a throwing error from the Eagles' catcher, which allowed Sanchez to score from third.

 

The Panthers answered again in the sixth when senior Rachel Slowik hit an RBI single to right field, which plated Kaye. The bases were loaded for Garcia following a bunt single by Sanchez, but FIU would strand three.  

 

FIU entered its last ups trailing 4-3. Leading off the frame was Texeira, who belted her team-high tying third home run to right center field, which sent the game to extra innings, but that would be all. The Eagles scored the go-ahead run in the top of the eighth inning. 

 

The Panthers travel to Tempe, Ariz., for the Louisville Slugger Tournament. FIU will first play Ball State at 6:45 p.m. ET before playing tournament host No. 4 Arizona State at 9:00 p.m. ET.

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)

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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of Conference USA. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU 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 bachelor's, master's 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. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.