MIAMI (March 7, 2016) -- The FIU Panthers host a pair of mid-week opponents in preparation for the opening weekend of Conference USA play, with East Carolina visiting Felsberg Field at the FIU Softball Stadium Tuesday night at 7 p.m. and No. 21/25 Notre Dame visiting for a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m.
 
FIU is 13-8, winning its previous two ball games. ECU enters the week at 13-9, losing its last two games, while the Notre Dame is 16-3, winners of its last 12 games, including sweeps at the last two weekend tournaments in Florida.
 
FIU has played "small ball" in its last two wins, getting runners home with sacrifice flies and moving runners with bunts and good baserunning. The Panthers also lead Conference USA with a .330 batting average, which ranked 31^st nationally, as of Monday's NCAA statistics report.
 
Junior Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Auburn University) leads the team 27 hits, a .415 batting average and eight stolen bases this season. She and freshman outfielder Jackie Schoff (Bradenton, Florida / Lakewood Ranch HS) have rotated the leadoff duties this season. Schoff is second only to Leon in hits and stolen bases on the team this season, but leads the team with 17 runs scored. Sophomore shortstop A.J. Belans (Hollywood, Florida / American Heritage HS) has collected 24 hits and 17 RBI.
 
Freshman pitcher Megan Kugelmann (Merritt Island, Florida / Cocoa Beach HS) was named Conference USA Co-Pitcher of the Week for the second straight week. She is the national leader in hits allowed per seven innings (1.91) and 39^th in the country with a 1.27 earned run average.
 
ECU pitcher Lydia Ritchie ranks in a tie for second in the nation with four shutouts and tied for 12^th with four saves.
 
The Fighting Irish rank second in the Atlantic Coast Conference, and 14^th nationally, with a .359 batting average. They are also tops in the ACC with a .978 fielding percentage, 11^th-best in the country. Pitcher Allie Rhodes is 24^th in the nation with 71 strikeouts and tied for 12^th with two saves. Irish sisters Ali and Karley Wester both are tied for 31^st in the country by averaging 1.16 runs scored per game. They both have scored 22 runs for Notre Dame this season.
 
The Panthers will start the Conference USA season at home this weekend, hosting Charlotte for a three-game series, starting with a Saturday doubleheader, at 4 p.m.
 
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/.