MIAMI (Feb. 26, 2015) – The FIU softball team (11-6) enters its final weekend of tournament play before Conference USA action begins, as the Panthers will host the Felsberg Invitational Feb. 27 through March 1. Taking place in the three-day tournament will be the SEC's Ole Miss, the Big Ten's Michigan State, along with Bethune-Cookman. First pitch for the Panthers will be at 4:30 p.m. on Friday versus the Rebels.
 
Stay Connected
For those unable to attend this weekend's tournament, FIUsports.com will be streaming FIU's games on both Friday and Sunday. Games on Saturday will not be streamed, but fans are encouraged to follow along on Twitter or Gametracker.
 
Stream: Click here
Livestats: Gametracker and StatBroadcast
Twitter: Click here
 
Catching Up
The Panthers found their bats during the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational, with four different players swinging for at least one home run during the three-day event.  Freshman Jessica Hallett and junior
Dominique Grossman each went yard for the first time in their careers, while sophomore Gabby Spallone grabbed her first grand slam of her career. Sophomore Stephanie Texeira went deep three times in Madeira Beach, Fla., and tallied her third career multi-home run game in the effort.
 
A struggling Panthers' offense found life in a 15-2 win over North Dakota. Eleven different players recorded at least one base hit, while 10 different Panthers were credited with an RBI. Spallone led the charge with her second four-RBI performance in five games.
 
Senior Shelby Graves just missed a C-USA Pitcher of the Week nod following a weekend where she posted a 2-0 record and allowed just four hits during the weekend. She tossed a one-hit blanking of Columbia before turning around and holding North Dakota to three hits. She fanned 12 batters during a weekend where she held batters to a .114 batting average.
 
Familiar Faces Coming Back to Felsberg Field
The Panthers welcome back familiar faces Jake Schumann and Sharon Palma this weekend. Schumann, who oversaw the FIU softball program from 2011-14, along with Palma, FIU's pitching coach last season, left for Ole Miss following the conclusion of the 2014 campaign.
 
Current Head Coach Gator Rebhan, who was part of Schumann's staff in 2014, overtook a program that went 33-20 in 2014. With the additions Rebhan has made since his hiring in August, he and his squad have gone on to be early Conference USA favorites, as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.
 
Hallett's First Hack
Those who have watched freshman Jessica Hallett in practice know the power she has in her swing. Just 10 at bats into her FIU career, she took North Dakota deep for her first career home run. It was a two-run shot.
 
Two of a Kind
Stephanie Texeira tallied her third career multi-home run game last weekend during the EMU Madeira Beach Invitational, as part of a three home run weekend for the Panthers' first baseman. She leads the team with five home runs this season and just over one full season into her career with FIU, she's already sitting comfortably in eighth place on the program's home run list.
 
Some Numbers to Consider
 
2 – Gabby Spallone collected two, four-RBI games last weekend to lead FIU's offense with 10 RBI during the course of five games. Part of the Panthers' potent 3-4 combo, she and Texeira have a combined 36 RBI so far this season.
 
3 – Quietly, senior Krystal Garcia is nearing FIU's home run list, too, as she is three home runs shy from tying for No. 10 all time with 12.
 
5 – FIU has been able to make adjustments quickly, as the team is 5-1 this season following a loss. The lone time the team dropped its next game following a loss was when FIU fell to Memphis on Feb. 15 after falling to Purdue to night prior. It's the only time the Panthers have lost back-to-back  games this season.
 
17 – Stephanie Texeira has reached base safely in all 17 games the Panthers have played this season, and has reach on a hit on eight of those occasions. Dating back to last season, she has reached base safely in 39 of FIU's last 40 competitions.
 
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)
 
#####
 
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 the FIU Football Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers 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 contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.