MIAMI (May 7, 2016) -- FIU softball secured a berth in next week's Conference USA Championships by virtue of the doubleheader sweep of visiting Middle Tennessee, 9-1 (in six innings) and 7-1 Saturday afternoon on Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium. The wins, combined with other league results, guarantee the Panthers the third-seed out of the East and an automatic spot in the tournament, which begins next Wednesday in Denton, Texas.
 
The wins push the Panthers' record to 28-26, 11-12 in league games. Middle Tennessee is now 23-30, 6-17 in C-USA.
 
Junior Gabby Spallone (Miami, Florida / Palmetto HS) drove in three runs in each game, finishing the day 4-for-8, including her team-best 12^th double, and six RBI to lead all players. Freshman outfielder Jackie Schoff (Bradenton, Florida / Lakewood Ranch HS) scored five times in the twin bill, giving her a team-best 43 runs scored this season.
 
GAME ONE
After Schoff scored in the opening frame, Middle Tennessee answered with a run in the third before the Panthers scored the last eight runs of the game.
FIU posted three runs in the third inning, starting with a Schoff double, a single from second baseman Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep / Auburn University) and a two-RBI double from junior first baseman Stephanie Texeira (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep). Spallone drove in Texeira from second with a single to center to push the lead to 4-1.
The Panthers ended the game in the sixth with five runs. Schoff singled in a run with two outs, which was followed by a two-RBI double from Leon. Texeira was hit by a pitch and Spallone doubled again to drive in two more runs and end the game.
 
Senior Corinne Jenkins (Sarasota, Florida / Riverview HS) tossed her ninth complete game of the season, and 53^rd for her career, in the victory. She improves to 7-9 on the season. In six innings, she scattered six hits and the one earned run, with one walk and one strikeout.
 
The loss went to Kelci Cheney, who dropped to 14-15 on the season. She was charged with all nine earned runs on 13 hits and one walk, striking out three.
 
GAME TWO
FIU again scored in the first inning, this time two runs, one on a Spallone RBI single and the second on a sacrifice fly from senior catcher Aleima Lopez (Deltona, Florida / Deltona HS) for the 2-0 lead.
 
Lopez doubled for the 32^nd time in her career with two outs in the third, and she came home on an RBI single from sophomore shortstop A.J. Belans (Hollywood, Florida / American Heritage HS).
 
The Panthers added four more runs on three hits and three Blue Raiders errors in the fourth. Spallone drove in two with a single to left and Schoff scored her fifth and final run of the day.
 
Freshman Abby Summers (Weston, Missouri) got her team-leading 12^th win of the season (12-8) after six innings pitched. She walked a season-high five batters, but allowed only four hits and struck out three.
 
The loss went to Megan Chocallo (4-9), who lasted 3.1 innings.
The Panthers recorded 10-or-more hits in both ends of a doubleheader for the second time this season. The 27 hits in one day was surpassed only by a 28-hit day in the opening weekend, when FIU had 18 hits against LIU Brooklyn and 10 more versus Valparaiso on February 14.
 
The two teams complete the series and end the regular season with a noon Sunday finale. Senior Day festivities begin at 11:50 a.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/.