Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2 Game One: Final Stats (PDF) | Final Stats (HTML)
Game Two: Final Stats (PDF) | Final Stats (HTML)
LAKE CHARLES, La. (March 15, 2014) – In its third doubleheader in four days, the FIU softball team (19-10) dropped both ends of a doubleheader to the McNeese State Cowgirls on Saturday afternoon.
Game One: McNeese State 9, FIU 1
Sophomore Corinne Jenkins (10-3) got tagged with her third loss of the season, lasting just one inning and giving up five runs (four earned), five hits and striking out one.
The Cowgirls jumped ahead to a fast 4-0 lead in the first inning. Following a leadoff walk, McNeese State's Ashley Modzelewski hit her team-leading sixth home run of the season. Two more runs would score off an errant throw from the infield.
FIU got one back in the top of the second, making it a 4-1 ballgame. Leading off with an infield single, freshman Gabby Spallone stole her third bag of the season and advanced to third from an E5. With two outs, sophomore Aleima Lopez drove Spallone home off a single to left center, which was good for her 20th RBI this season. McNeese State went on to score four more runs in the second inning.
After coming in for relief in the second inning, senior pitcher Mariah Dawson finished the final three innings with four hits and two earned runs.
Game Two: McNeese State 5, FIU 3
Junior Shelby Graves started in the circle for the Panthers in game two, going six innings and allowing five runs on seven hits, while striking out three.
FIU would utilize two triples in the top of the third to take a 1-0 lead. First, junior Rebekah Sanchez roped a one-out double down the left field line. She would score on freshman Stephanie Texeira's first career triple, which was roped to deep right-center field. The Cowgirls would go ahead in the bottom of the frame off a two-run home run from Alanna DiVittorio. Sanchez would end McNeese State's threat off a catch that would carry her to the warning track in left-center field.
Senior Rachel Slowik saved a run in the third inning and kept the score 2-1. With a runner on third, McNeese State's Victoria Rich laid down a bunt down the third base line. Slowik fielded the ball and tagged the runner out at home. Senior Bre Kaye tried to get things going in the fifth, leading off the inning with a single to right field. She would go on to swipe her team-leading eleventh bag this season, but the Panthers would be unable to score. The Cowgirls went on to score three more runs in the bottom of the inning.
The Panthers threatened in the seventh, having the bases loaded with one out following a Kaye single and walks from Sanchez and Texeira, Spallone sent a ball deep enough to center field for Kaye to tag up and score, making it 5-2. Junior Krystal Garcia would follow with a double that hugged the line in right, scoring on final run.
FIU will close out the series tomorrow at noon.
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/.
