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Box Score 2
MIAMI (Feb. 7, 2014) – The FIU softball team (2-0) opened the 2014 campaign with two wins, beating the Maryland Terrapins, 14-9, in its season opener, followed by a 5-3 victory over the Jacksonville Dolphins in game two, as part of day one of the Felsberg Memorial from the newly renovated FIU Softball Stadium. The stadium saw an array of changes the past few months, including the additions of stadium-style seating behind home plate, new bleachers and an upgraded press box.
Down 1-0, the Panthers' bats came alive in the third. Sanchez singled up the middle and stole second three pitches later to start the rally. Texeira followed up with a single, which gave her hits in her first two at-bats as a Panther. Back-to-back RBI plate appearances from Lopez and freshman
Gabby Spallone cut the deficit in half before sophomore
Dani Mowry picked up her first career RBI's from a single down the left field line to tie the game. Senior
Rachel Slowik tacked on one more run in the home half of the third, giving FIU a 5-4 lead.
Garcia hit her first-career grand slam in the following inning, cushioning the Panthers with a 9-5 lead. A 3-run sixth inning gave FIU a 12-6 lead. Maryland answered back with a 4-run sixth inning to make the score 12-9. Freshman
Brianne Kimura got a pinch hit RBI triple in the sixth, as part of a 2-run inning. The hit was the St. Cloud, Fla., native's first hit of her collegiate career.
Defensively, sophomore catcher
Aleima Lopez tossed two runners out trying to steal.
In the second game for FIU, the reigning Sun Belt Conference wins leader for freshman, sophomore
Corinne Jenkins, posted a complete-game, six strikeout performance, converting 59 percent of her pitches for strikes.
Scoreless going into the bottom of the second, Spallone gave FIU the 1-0 edge off a fielder's choice on a 2-2 count as part of a 2-run inning. Texeira continued an impressive debut with a double in the third, plating one as part of a 3-run inning. FIU carried a 5-2 lead into the top of the sixth, when Jacksonville tacked on one final run.
Lopez (2-for-3, 1RBI) and Texeira (2-for-3, 1 RBI) spearheaded the offense against the Dolphins.
FIU continues tournament action tomorrow, hosting DePaul (1-1) at 12:30 p.m. and an opponent based on seedings at 3 p.m. Jacksonville and Maryland will kick off day two with a 10 a.m. first pitch.
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/.
