MIAMI (May 8, 2016) -- All three FIU seniors achieved career highs in hits, including a two-run home run in the first career at bat for pitcher Corinne Jenkins (Sarasota, Florida / Riverview HS) as the Panthers swept Middle Tennessee in a 6-3 Sunday Conference USA series finale on Felsberg Field at the FIU Softball Stadium. The game concluded the regular season for both programs, with FIU waiting to find out who it's next opponent will be in next week's C-USA Championships. The win was the 600^th in program history.

Middle ends its season at 23-31 overall, 6-18 in conference play. FIU is 29-26, with an even 12-12 league record.
 
Prior to the game, the Panthers honored their seniors, with a ceremony for Jenkins, catcher Aleima Lopez (Deltona, Florida / Deltona HS) and Dominique Grossman (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep / Georgia Southern University). Lopez tied her career high with three hits and Grossman tied hers with two in the game as the Panthers collected 14 in the game, setting a new season-high for hits in a three game series with 41.
 
In the second inning, FIU got its first run of the game on a double steal, with junior Gabby Spallone (Miami, Florida / Palmetto HS) swiping home and the 1-0 lead. With a runner at second, in her first at-bat in 128 career games, Jenkins took a 2-1 pitch out to left center, and it carried out for the homer on her first collegiate swing.
 
"I was kind of surprised by that first pitch," said Jenkins after the game. "It was much quicker than I was expecting. I guess that's what happens when you haven't hit off a pitcher in four years."
 
She admitted to taking some swings off of front toss in the batting cage before the game, but not off a pitcher.
 
"After taking the first three pitches, I was reminded that Aleima told me if I don't get the bat off my shoulder in the at-bat, she would get me. So, on that 2-1 count, I told myself I was swinging as hard as I can. She left the pitch up and I just squared it up perfectly."
 
The Panthers led 3-0 after that frame.
 
An RBI double from junior Stephanie Texeira (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep) hit the top of the fence and made the score 4-0. One out later, Lopez singled to left to drive in Texeira for a 5-0 margin.
 
The Blue Raiders three runs in the fourth, including a two-run homer from second baseman Austyn Whaley to make it 5-3.
 
Freshman Lauren Williams (Tampa, Florida / Chamberlain HS) drove in sophomore A.J. Belans (Hollywood, Florida / American Heritage HS) after she had doubled earlier in the fifth, for the game's final run.
 
FIU freshman Megan Kugelmann (Merritt Island, Florida / Cocoa Beach HS) got the win (7-5) in relief of Jenkins. Kugelmann allowed five hits, but no walks in 3.2 innings, recording five strikeouts. Jenkins allowed four hits and three walks, with no punchouts in the start, the 108^th of her career. She needs one start in the Conference USA Championships to tie the school record.
 
The loss went to MT starter Kelci Cheney. In 2.2 innings, she was tagged with five runs on seven hits and no walks. She struck out a pair. Her final 2016 record is 14-16.
 
Belans scored twice to lead all players and the three hits from Lopez were the game-high total.
 
The three hits pushed Lopez to 40 for the season, the third time she has achieved that plateau. Today marked her 200^th career start.
 
Log in to FIUSports.com for time and opponent for next week's Conference USA Championships.

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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/.