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TEMPE, Ariz. (Feb. 28, 2014) – In day one of the Louisville Slugger Invite, the FIU softball team (12-6) dropped a pair of contests, falling to Ball State, 8-6, despite a late-inning comeback, before losing to No. 3 Arizona State, 8-0, in five innings.

In the team's first game of the day, sophomore Corinne Jenkins (6-1) suffered her first loss of the year, picking up four strikeouts through four and 1/3 innings pitched.  Junior Shelby Graves came in to relieve Jenkins, closing out the final two and 2/3 innings and matching Jenkins's four strikeouts with four of her own.

After surrendering a run in the top of the first, the Panthers were able to take advantage of two Cardinal errors in the home half, first when junior Rebekah Sanchez sent a lead-off liner back to the pitcher, which allowed her to take second on the errant throw. After advancing to third, an error from the center fielder plated Sanchez.

FIU jumped ahead in the second inning after Glendale, Ariz., natives Krystal Garcia and Bre Kaye got on base. Following a walk to Garcia, Kaye laid down a perfectly placed bunt on the first base line. Senior Rachel Slowik was credited with the go-ahead RBI. The Panthers went on to load the bases with hits by redshirt freshman Marisa McGregor and Sanchez to load the bases as part of a four-hit inning.

Jenkins recorded her second 1-2-3 inning of the game in the fourth, picking up two outs from strike outs. The Cardinals broke the game open in the top of the fifth, plating six runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined.

FIU tried to work some late inning magic in the sixth when Spallone led off with a double. Kaye's bunt single put runners on the corners, but the Panthers were unable to plate a run. In the bottom of the seventh, a hit to centerfield from Texeira loaded the bases. Spallone cleared the bases with a fielder's choice, which drew two errors on the play. Garcia plated FIU's fourth and final run of the inning off a single to the right side.

In the second game of the day, senior Mariah Dawson got the nod against No. 3 Arizona State. She went one and 2/3 innings, striking out two and allowing four hits.

Arizona State plated six runs through the first two innings, two in the first and four in the second. Two more runs in the fourth would end the game after five innings.

Off the ace of the Sun Devils' pitching staff, Garcia collected FIU's first hit of the night in the second inning, roping a single to left field. FIU had two-hits in the game.

Jenkins was put back to work in the third inning, inheriting a bases loaded situation and got FIU out of the inning with a caught-looking strikeout. She shut down the Sun Devils in the fourth inning, collecting two more strikeouts in the frame.

The five strikeouts Dawson and Jenkins dealt the Sun Devils is the second highest total surrendered by Arizona State this year.

FIU is back in action tomorrow, playing two national ranked teams. First pitch against No. 19 Minnesota is slated for 4:45 p.m. ET, while a rematch with Arizona State beings at 9:00 p.m. ET.