MIAMI (Feb. 13, 2016) – The FIU softball team (2-1) picked up its first two victories of the season with wins over St. John's (6-1) and Illinois (10-8) during the second day of the Juiceblendz FIU Invitational Saturday evening from Felsberg Field at the FIU Softball Stadium.
On the day, FIU scored 16 runs on 21 hits, including three home runs as the Panthers hit .381 as a team.
The Panthers got their day going with a 6-1 win over the Red Storm. After falling behind 1-0 in the top of the second, FIU responded with two runs in its half of the inning. Sophomore
Kaitlyne Musa drove in two runs with a single up the middle to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead.
FIU added to its lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth and three in the bottom of the fifth to seal its first win of the season. Freshman Devin Kennedy had the timely hit in the bottom of the fifth to score two and give the Panthers some insurance runs.
Kennedy finished the game hitting 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. Musa also accounted for two RBI with a 1-for-2 performance from the plate. Redshirt junior
Dani Mowry drove in one and scored another going 1-for-2 in the game.
Freshman right-hander
Abby Summers picked up her first win of the season, allowing just one run while scattering nine hits and striking out four in seven innings of action.
In the team's second contest of the evening, FIU used five extra-base hits, including an in-the-park home run, to defeat the Fighting Illini, 10-8.
Once again, the visitors took an early 1-0 lead; this time in the top of the first. The Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the second to take a 2-1 lead. The Illini tied the game in the top of the fourth, but FIU answered with a four-run bottom of the fourth highlighted by a two-RBI, in-the-park home run by junior
Stephanie Texeira.
Illinois cut the FIU lead to 6-5 with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth before a two-run shot by Kennedy gave FIU an 8-5 lead in the home half of the fifth. The long ball was the first of the Montgomery, Ala., native's career.
An inning later, Texeira added some cushion with a two-run blast to dead center to give FIU a 10-5 advantage. The home run was the second of the game for Miami product.
Illinois tried to rally in the top of the seventh, scoring three runs to make it 10-8 but junior
Hunter Scharf shut down the Illini down for her first save of the season thanks in large part to two tremendous diving stops by shortstop
Ashley Belans.
Senior
Corinne Jenkins earned her first win of the season allowing five runs (two earned) on eight hits in four and one-third innings pitched. Scharf was credited with the save allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits with two Ks in two and two-thirds innings of action. Scharf entered the game in the top of the fifth with a 6-5 lead, a runner on third and one out. A strikeout and groundout ended the Illini threat.
Texeira was a perfect 3-of-3 in the contest with three RBI and two runs scored. Kennedy also had a perfect outing at the plate, batting 3-for-3 with two RBI and two runs scored. Freshman
Jackie Schoff also had three hits for the Panthers, scoring two runs while driving in another.
The Panthers will close out this weekend's tournament with a pair of games on Sunday, Feb. 14. FIU will face LIU Brooklyn at 1 p.m. followed by Valparaiso at 3 p.m.
For softball ticket information, call 305-FIU-GAME (348-4263) or log onto
www.FIUSports.com.
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and Ocean Bank Field at FIU 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/.
