GULF SHORES, Ala. (Feb. 6, 2015) – The FIU softball team (2-0) used some seventh inning magic to get past the Lamar Cardinals, 4-3, on Friday afternoon in the second day of the Sand Dollar Classic.
Senior
Shelby Graves pitched a gem, holding the Cardinals hitless through four complete innings. She finished the day with four strikeouts in the no-decision. Junior
Corinne Jenkins (2-0) went two innings for FIU and picked up her second win in as many days.
Graves retired the side in the first inning and picked up two strikeouts in the frame, one of which happened on a 12-pitch at bat by the Cardinals' 3-hole batter. The righty was able to keep Lamar at bay and held the Cardinals hitless until a lead-off single to open the fifth inning.
Freshman
Kaitlyn Musa made her first collegiate start behind the plate for FIU and singled deep to the second baseman during her first time in the batter's box. The Panthers' offense struggled to get going its first time through the batting order until sophomore
Stephanie Texeira belted a triple to the wall in right-center with one out in the fourth inning. After failing to get her home on an attempted bunt, FIU was able to break a scoreless ballgame when senior
Krystal Garcia hit a ball that Cardinals' Casey Cromwell couldn't handle.
Freshman
Ashley Belans led off the top of the fifth inning with a single hit just beyond the third baseman's reach. Musa laid down a well-placed bunt to move Belans up 60 feet, but FIU would come up short in the inning. The Panthers were able to provide Graves with a cushion by putting up a two-spot in the sixth inning. After sophomore
Ashley Leon reached base to start off the inning, Garcia drove her home off a triple to right. Garcia would then score when Graves doubled to center field.
Lamar used four sixth inning hits to tie the game at 3-3, including a two-run home run with no outs, which broke Graves streak of 19.1 scoreless inning, dating back to last season. Jenkins came into the game to replace Graves and picked up a big caught-looking strikeout for the inning's first out. After the tying run came across, Jenkins would get out of the inning.
Leon showcased her speed in the seventh inning, as the Auburn transfer beat out an infield single hit to short, which was able to move junior
Dominique Grossman, who reached on a fielder's choice, to third base. With two outs in the inning, Leon made a move towards second, prompting a throw from the Lamar catcher. Leon worked her way of the pickle, which allowed the go-ahead run to score.
With the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the seventh, Leon charged a grounder hit to second base and nailed the runner at home for the inning's second out. With the bases still loaded and two outs, Jenkins painted the outside corner on a curve ball that ended the ball game.
FIU plays again at 4 p.m. ET against McNeese State.
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 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 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 contributes $8.9 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/.
