No. 19 Minnesota: Final Stats (PDF) | Final Stats (HTML)

Detorit Mercy: Final Stats (PDF) | Final Stats (HTML)

TEMPE, Ariz. (March 2, 2014) – In the final day of the Louisville Slugger Invitational, the FIU softball team (14-6) went 2-0 for the day, first beating the No. 19 Minnesota Gophers, 3-1, in a contest where the Gophers edged FIU in hitting, 8-6. The Panthers took game two against the Detroit Mercy Titans easily, 10-1.

The Panthers took advantage of timely hitting and defense in a game where they were out-hit, 8-6.

Junior Shelby Graves went four and 1/3 innings, giving up three hits with three strikeouts. Sophomore Corinne Jenkins came into a tied-game in the fifth, picking up her team-best seventh win of the season, and registered three strikeouts, while holding the Gophers scoreless.

Graves worked around a one-out single in the first and retired the next seven batters she faced. Sophomore Aleima Lopez ended the second on a foul ball that carried her into the near side of the third base dugout.

The Gophers struck first in the bottom of the third on a one-out hit-by-pitch. Minnesota's Erica Meyer scored off a double to right center by Kaitlyn Richardson, but Richardson was tagged out at second 8-5-2-4.

FIU responded in the fourth when senior Nicole Rascon broke up Sara Groenwegen's no-hit bid off a lead-off single drilled to short. Following a nine-pitch at bat from Texeira, two stood in scoring position for freshman Gabby Spallone, whose RBI hit plated Rascon, tying the game at 1-1.

Minnesota threatened in the bottom half with two on and one out, but FIU was able to utilize a double-play ball to escape the inning. Off a ball that carried junior Rebekah Sanchez into foul territory, the Placentia, Calif., native fired the ball to third on the tag out. Rascon flashed some leather in the home half of the fifth with one runner on base. Off a quickly dying ball hit to shallow right, the Tucson, Ariz., native did a sliding catch for the second out.

The Panthers went ahead in the sixth when Spallone and junior Krystal Garcia strung together back-to-back singles. It's the sixth time this season that Spallone has had a multi-hit game. With the bases loaded, Graves drove in the go-ahead run on a fielder's choice, resulting in a close call at first. In the bottom of the frame, Jenkins picked up two big strikeouts, ending a one-out two-on Minnesota threat.

Freshman Marina Carmona pinch hit to open the seventh and picked up her first collegiate base hit off a double that scraped the center field wall. Freshman Stephanie Texeira tacked on an insurance run off a two-out double.

Jenkins got the nod in the second game of the day, carrying a no-hitter through six and 1/3 innings and started the game with three-straight 1-2-3 innings. She finished with three strikeouts. 

FIU jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in bottom of the first. Sanchez led off with a bunt single, stole second and came around to score on an RBI single through the right side by Texeira. The Panthers went on to put up a five-spot in the bottom of the second, with Sanchez hitting a two RBI single. Texeira added another RBI off a double, taking a 6-0 lead after two. Senior Bre Kaye stole her team-best seventh base in the inning, remaining perfect for the season.

Garcia hit her team-leading fourth home run of the season in the third. It was a two-run shot well over the field in left, as part of a four-run inning.

Five of the Panthers' starting nine had multi-hit games, with Sanchez leading the way with three.

FIU next holds a mid-week contest against Michigan State on Thursday. First pitch is slated for 5:00 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)

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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/.