MIAMI (March 1, 2015) – The FIU softball team (15-8) closed out the Felsberg Invitational with back-to-back shutouts on Sunday, first downing Michigan State, 6-0, in six innings before blanking the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, 7-0.
 
FIU 6, Michigan State 0
Junior Corinne Jenkins (7-6) tossed a two-hit shutout to collect her first shutout this season, while she went the distance for the eighth time. She fanned three, including back-to-back caught looking strikeouts during the Spartans' last bout at the plate.
 
Freshman Ashley Belans (3-for-3, 2 RBI) plated two RBI and belted a double to center field that was inches shy of leaving the ballpark. Sophomore Brianne Kimura started in right field to mark the St. Cloud, Fla., native's first collegiate start.
 
Senior Rebekah Sanchez led off the game with a sharp single to third and advanced to second on a well-executed bunt by sophomore Ashley Leon. With two on, sophomore Stephanie Texeira walked to load the bases. A balk by Michigan State's Bridgette Rainey brought home the first run of the game, but the Spartans were able to escape the jam and limit the Panthers to just one run.
 
Jenkins worked through a first inning that put two Spartans in scoring position, but a 5-3 putout ended Michigan State's opportunity. The Panthers responded in the second with a leadoff single down the line in right by senior Krystal Garcia, who came around to score on Belans' RBI single.
 
Jenkins cruised through the fourth inning and rang up two-straight batters in the fifth to shut down the Spartans 1-2-3. FIU plated two final runs in the sixth inning before the game was called due to time restrictions. Belans belted her second double in a many at bats to drive the Panthers' fifth run home, while a sacrifice fly by sophomore Gabby Spallone finished FIU off at a 6-0 final.
 
Game Two
Freshman Rachel Dwyer made her first career start with the Panthers, registering both her first complete game and shutout in the process. She allowed just four hits in seven innings
 
After a lead-off walk to Sanchez, Texeira launched her sixth home run this season and her third in the first inning alone. Dwyer continued to make quick work of the Wildcats and retired the side in the second and third inning. In the home half of the third, Texeira, who walked to reach base, scored on a double-steal. Garcia reached base on a fielder's choice and came around to score on a chopper up the middle by senior Shelby Graves.
 
Dwyer continued to keep Bethune-Cookman at bay, shutting the Wildcats' down 1-2-3 in the fourth and utilizing Garcia going across the diamond in the fifth to keep the score 4-0 in favor of the Panthers. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the fifth, junior Dominique Grossman drove two more runs home off a single to right field. With the bases loaded, Belans then drove the ball to right-center field for a sacrifice fly.
 
Leon kept Dwyers' time on the field in the sixth inning to a minimum, as she ranged to her right for the team's second double play of the game.
 
FIU opens Conference USA action next weekend, hosting the Marshall Thundering Herd for a three-game set beginning on Saturday.

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 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/.