UPDATE: As a result of field conditions and weather, Saturday's double header has been changed to one game. First pitch on Saturday, March 14 will be at 8 p.m. ET. A double header on Sunday, March 15 will begin at 11 a.m. ET. 


MIAMI (March 13, 2015) – The FIU softball team (16-10, 1-2 C-USA) hits the road for its first true away series this weekend, as the Panthers and long-time Sun Belt foe Middle Tennessee will meet for the first time as Conference USA members this weekend. First pitch on Saturday is set for 3 p.m. ET., with the second game to follow 30 minutes after. The series finale on Sunday begins at 1 p.m. ET.
 
Game Day Links to Know
Live Stats: Click here
Stream: Click here
@FIUSoftball on Twitter: Click here
 
Catching Up
The Panthers stumbled out of the gate to open its second round of Conference USA action last weekend. Saturday's league-opening double header spanned the course of two days, as the first of two games scheduled for Saturday had over four hours of combined weather delay time, which included a three hour and 20 minute delay in the sixth inning. The second game didn't get off until 10:30 pm and didn't finish until early Sunday morning at 1 p.m.
 
The Panthers responded well on Sunday, as the first of three Conference USA match-ups to air nationally on FOX Sports, saw the Panthers run-rule the Marshall Thundering Herd, 9-1, in five innings. Sophomore Gabby Spallone had an impressive first inning, throwing a runner out at the plate and turning around to blast a three-run home run in the bottom of the frame, too. In all, three Panthers recorded multi-hit games, led by Stephanie Texeira, who drove in two-RBI. The duo of Ashley Leon and Ashley Belans combined for four hits in the effort.
 
Junior Corinne Jenkins hurled her ninth complete game this season, surrendering just one run before settling down to retire seven of the final 10 batters she faced. She fanned two in five innings of work.
 
Game Day Quick Hitters
The Panthers have won 17 of the last 18 games in the series, which includes a 14-game win streak that spanned the course of five years (2008-12). FIU holds a commanding 38-15 record in the 53-game slate.
 
FIU enters this weekend with a three-game win streak, having swept Middle Tennessee back in the two teams' final bout in the Sun Belt (March 16, 2013- March 17, 2013).
 
Tex vs. the Nation
Stephanie Texeira finds herself in the nation's top 50 in six different categories, highlighted by her No. 7 ranking in on-base percentage (.647), which also first in Conference USA, in addition to having the 26^th-best batting average in all of NCAA Div. I softball (.517), which is good for third in the league.
 
Dynamic Duo
Sophomore Stephanie Texeira and Gabby Spallone can be a lethal 3-4 combination for opposing pitchers. The Miami natives are combining for 60 percent of the Panthers' home runs and have a 59 RBI together.
 
Some Numbers to Consider
03 – On three occasions this season, slugger Stephanie Texeira has blasted a first inning home run. In her first at bat of the season, she belted a two-run home run versus the Houston Cougars. Two games later, she also hit a first at bat home run against the McNeese State Cowgirls.
 
05 – Shelby Graves, who took on full-time pitching responsibilities in 2014, needs five more wins to advance to eighth all-time.
 
07 – Already 10^th on FIU's all-time home run list, Aleima Lopez is seven RBI shy from advancing to the No. 9 spot in program history. She is currently 10^th all-time with 78.
 
08 – Corinne Jenkins moved into the No. 8 spot for all-time strikeouts by an FIU pitcher following her eight-strikeout performance on Feb. 28 versus Bethune-Cookman, which also matched her season-high for strikeouts in a game. She currently has 260 K's in her career.
 
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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/.