MIAMI (March 12, 2016) -- Sophomore Michaela Mills (Hastings, Minnesota) bounced an RBI single through the right side of the infield to walk off the opening game of Conference USA play and give the FIU Panthers the 2-1 win over Charlotte in game one of a Saturday doubleheader at Felsberg Field at the FIU Softball Stadium.
 
The win pushed the Panthers' record to 15-10 overall, and the 1-0 league start. The 49ers slip to 16-5, 0-1 in C-USA, with game two to be played.
 
FIU senior pitcher Corinne Jenkins Jenkins (Sarasota, Florida / Riverview HS) did not allow an earned run and gave up four hits and three walks in the complete-game victory, to improve her record to 3-4 on the season.
 
Charlotte redshirt senior Lexi Betancourt was equally masterful until the seventh. She held the Panthers scoreless until the final frame, stymieing the Panthers' hitters for six frames. She allowed two walks and two hits in the seventh, and gave up seven hits and three walks in total in 6.1 innings pitched in the loss. She is 10-3 on the season.
 
The 49ers scored an unearned run in the top of the first after an RBI single from shortstop Haley Pace drove home leadoff hitter Kiersten Berrier for a 1-0 lead.
 
Both pitchers held the game in check for the next six innings until the Panthers drew leadoff walks by freshman Deven Kennedy (Montgomery, Alabama) and sophomore Erin Eiland (Gainesville, Florida / Buchholz HS). A sacrifice bunt from pinch hitter Kaitlyne Musa (Miami, Fla. / West Minster Christian) moved the runners into scoring position for freshman Jackie Schoff (Bradenton, Florida / Lakewood Ranch), who hit an infield single to tie the game with one out. Mills' then singled to score Eiland for the game winner.
 
Schoff was the only Panther with two hits. Berrier was the lone 49er with a pair of hits in the well-pitched contest. Both teams stranded six runners on base.
 
FIU is now 5-2 in the all-time series with the 49ers, with two to play this weekend.
 
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/.