MIAMI (March 26, 2016) -- A two-run double from UTEP's Danielle Sargent in the fifth inning gave the visiting Miners a 4-3 lead as they won in the final game of the Conference USA series over the FIU Panthers, 6-4 Saturday on Felsberg Field at the FIU Softball Stadium. UTEP swept the three-game series and improved to 15-20 overall, 6-3 in C-USA. FIU slips to 18-17 overall, with a 4-5 league mark.
 
The Panthers struck gold first in the second with six singles, resulting in three runs. Catcher Kaitlyne Musa (Miami, Florida / West Minster Christian) was the fourth of four-straight hits to start the inning, driving in a run with a bases-loaded single through the right side. Two batters later, designated player Aleima Lopez (Deltona, Florida / Deltona HS) singled to left center to drive in two more and the 3-0 lead.
 
UTEP reeled back in two runs on a two-run homer by Kawehiokalani Netane to left in the top of the fourth. They added four runs in the top of the fifth, on a two-run double and a two-run homer.
 
The Panthers' fourth run came in the form of Stephanie Texeira (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep), who hit a 2-1 pitch to center for her team-leading eighth round-tripper of the year to cut the lead to two runs after five innings. It was the final scoring of the game.
 
As she did in game one of the series, UTEP's Kaitlin Fifield got the complete-game victory, for a 5-10 mark for the season. She allowed 11 hits and three walks, but stranded seven FIU baserunners in the contest, with the help of two double plays turned by her defense.
 
FIU starter Abby Summers (Weston, Missouri) was tagged with the loss (5-5). She pitched 4.1 innings, allowing six hits and four earned runs. She struck out three. Freshman Megan Kugelmann (Merritt Island, Florida / Cocoa Beach HS) finished the game for FIU. The Panthers did not give up a walk in the game for only the fourth time this season, the third time when pitching seven total innings.
 
Three Panthers had two hits each as part of the 11-hit day. UTEP's Courtney Clayton led the Miners with three hits. All 10 runs scored in the game were by different student-athletes. Lopez tied for the game-high total of two RBI, shared by two Miners.
 
FIU will next play a road conference series at North Texas, starting with a Saturday doubleheader on April 2, at 2 p.m. Eastern.
 
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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/.