EL PASO, Texas (April 12, 2015) — The FIU softball team (26-20, 7-11 C-USA) dropped the final game of a three-game series, 9-1, to the UTEP Miners on Sunday morning.
 
Junior Corinne Jenkins (16-8) picked up the loss despite having a strong first three innings.
 
Sophomore Gabby Spallone cranked her league-leading 15^th double of the season with two outs in the top of the first and came around to score the game's first run off junior Aleima Lopez' RBI single to right field. FIU went on to load the bases in the top of the first but would strand all three runners.  The Miners responded in the bottom of the first with an unearned run. After the first two UTEP batters reached to create a first and third situation, Jenkins jammed UTEP's power hitter Kawehiokalani Netane for the first out. After a throwing error granted the Miners' a run, Jenkins tossed back-to-back strikeouts to end the first.
 
The Panthers were unable to get any runs across in second and third innings, but Jenkins' strong pitching kept the game tied. She picked up her third strikeout in the second inning and needed just six pitches to work a 1-2-3 bottom of the third frame. UTEP went ahead in the fourth inning after loading the bases with no outs. Sophomore Stephanie Texeira brought in the inning's first out off a foul ball that nearly led her into the Miners' dugout before a single through the left side made it 2-1. UTEP capitalized off a Panther fielding error and finished the fourth with a eight-spot to take a 9-1 lead.
 
FIU went down in order in the fifth inning to end the game via the run-rule.
 
The Panthers return home to host league-leader WKU next weekend.
 
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/.