MIAMI (Feb. 20, 2016) -- Sophomore A.J. Belans (Hollywood, Florida / American Heritage HS) blasted her first two home runs of the season and drove in five RBI as the FIU Panthers finished Saturday with a split in the Panther Invitational, winning the nightcap 9-1 over Holy Cross in five innings at Felsberg Field in the FIU Softball Stadium.
 
After losing to Delaware 5-4 earlier in the day, the Panthers got on the winning track again, with their record at the end of the day at 7-2. Holy Cross is now 0-4.
 
The Panthers got four runs in both of the first two innings. After an infield single by second baseman Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Auburn University) and a lineout, junior Stephanie Texeira (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep) crushed a double out to left center to drive in Leon for the game's first run.  After an out and a walk, Belans drilled her first homer out to right center for three more runs and the 4-0 lead after the first. All nine batters got to the plate in the first inning for FIU.
 
In the second, freshman Jackie Schoff (Bradenton, Florida / Lakewood Ranch) drew a one-out walk and Texeira blasted a homer out to straightaway center to push the lead to 6-0. It was her team-leading fourth home run of the season, after hitting eight last season. A two-out single by Dani Mowry (Cocoa, Florida / Space Coast HS) forced a pitching change by Holy Cross, but the new pitcher faced the same fate, as Belans deposited a pitch to dead center as well for two more runs and the 8-0 lead.
 
Holy Cross got a run back in the third off of FIU starter Rachel Dwyer when back-to-back singles to lead off the inning led to an RBI groundout by Taylor Wahler.
 
The Panthers got that eight-run lead back when a fielder's choice groundout by pinch hitter Brianna Kimura (St. Cloud, Florida / Harmony HS) drove in pinch runner Dominique Grossman (Miami, Florida / Georgia Southern University) from third.
 
Belans and Texeira share the team lead with 11 RBI each. The homers
 
Dwyer got the win (2-1). She allowed just three hits and two walks in four innings, allowing the one Crusaders' run. She recorded one strikeout.
 
Holy Cross starter Katy Watson took the loss. She allowed three earned runs in 1.2 innings, with one strikeout and three walks. She is 0-2.
 
Holy Cross will face Delaware at 10 a.m. on Sunday, while FIU hosts Delaware at 12:30 to complete the three-day event.
 
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/.