BIRMINGHAM (April 16. 2016) -- For the first time this season, FIU softball played a game into extra innings, but a two-run homer by UAB's Ashley Johnson gave the home team the 3-1 walk off win in game one of a scheduled Conference USA doubleheader Saturday at Mary Bowers Field.
 
In the bottom of the eighth with two outs, UAB's Mary Warren drew a walk and on a 1-2 pitch, Johnson hit it out to center for the walk off win.
 
UAB is 18-23 overall, 8-5 in Conference USA. FIU dips to 22-22, 7-9 in league games.
 
Both starting pitchers were rolling to a scoreless tie until the fifth, when FIU got a 1-0 lead. After one out, junior second baseman Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep / Auburn University) singled to the right side. After a flyout for the second out, junior center fielder Gabby Spallone (Miami, Florida / Palmetto HS) followed with singled to left field before third baseman Dani Mowry (Cocoa, Florida / Space Coast HS) singled to right for an RBI, her 16^th of the season, to bring in Leon and the first run of the game.
 
A one-out home run on a 1-0 count in the bottom of the sixth by Warren, her team-leading eighth of the year, evened the score at one run each.
 
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision, both allowing one run in six innings pitched. FIU freshman Megan Kugelmann (Merritt Island, Florida / Cocoa Beach HS) allowed just three hits, but a season-high four walks in the outing. She struck out four Blazers. UAB starter Megan Smith allowed five hits and four walks of her own, recording one punchout in the game.
 
UAB reliever Cara Goodwin got the win to move to 9-7 on the year. She did not allow a baserunner in her two innings of work.
 
The loss went to freshman Abby Summers (Weston, Missouri). She got two strikeouts, but allowed two hits, including the game winner and a walk. She is 8-7.
 
Game two begins around 5 p.m. Eastern. The series finale is Sunday at 2 p.m.

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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/.