MIAMI (Feb. 11, 2017) -- FIU Junior transfer Kasandra Castle (Lake Worth, Florida / Palm Beach Central) blasted her first two home runs of the season, including a grand slam, driving in seven runs as the Panthers pounded Memphis, 12-4, in the middle game of day two of the Felsberg Invitational Softball Tournament. The win avenges last night's, 3-2, FIU loss to the Tigers and gives the Panthers a 2-1 record.
 
The two homers were the first for FIU by one player since former Panther A.J. Belans hit two out in a road game at North Texas last April 3. The last two were hit out at home was also Belans, on March 13 against Charlotte.
 
The homers by Castle were her first two as a Panther after a 1-for-6 day Friday to start her FIU career.
 
After the Tigers scored an unearned run in the top of the first, Castle belted her first out, driving in herself and senior second baseman Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep) for a 2-1 Panthers lead.
 
The lead changed hands again in the Memphis half of the third inning, when the Tigers plated three runs, one on a bases-loaded walk and the second on a two-RBI bases-loaded single for a 4-2 margin.
 
The Panthers tied the game in the bottom half, driving in two runs, one on a Castle RBI single and the other on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly from freshman Tori Jones (Raymond, Mississippi).
 
FIU blew the game open with a seven-run fifth inning. Freshman Brianna Bahadue (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep) scored on a dropped third strike for what should have been the final out of the inning. Jackie Schoff (Bradenton, Florida / Lakewood Ranch HS) and Leon singled in one run each before Castle's grand slam, out to left field, for the last scoring play of the inning.
 
FIU tacked on the 12^th run in the sixth on a second RBI single from Schoff, on her fourth hit of the game, a season-high total for a Panther. Schoff has started her sophomore campaign 8-for-11 in three games for the Panthers.
 
FIU sophomore pitcher Abby Summers (Weston, Missouri) got the complete-game win (1-0), striking out six and walking two. Three of the four runs posted against her were earned in the contest.
 
The Panthers finish the second day of the tournament by taking on Georgetown in the nightcap.

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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/.