MIAMI (February 12, 2017) -- FIU senior Stephanie Texeira (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep) produced all three RBI as the Panthers defeated Memphis 3-2 in nine innings to start the final day of the Felsberg Invitational in Miami.
 
The Panthers improve to 4-1 at the tournament, dropping Memphis to 3-2 for the weekend.
 
After three scoreless innings, the Tigers got on the board first with an earned and unearned run against FIU starter Megan Kugelmann (Merritt Island, Florida / Cocoa Beach HS). Addison Maxwell delivered an RBI single with one out to get the scoring started and a second Memphis run came on a Panthers error later in the frame.
 
FIU tied the game in the fifth. After one out, the Panthers loaded the bases for Texeira, who drove a two-RBI single out to center to knot the game at two.
 
Both pitching staffs tossed blanks on the scoreboard for the next three innings, pitching out of jams from both teams' offensive lineups.
 
In the ninth, FIU got Jackie Schoff (Bradenton, Florida / Lakewood Ranch HS) aboard with a tall single tipped by the pitcher and Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep), attempting to sacrifice the runner to second, was safe beating out the play. That brought up Texeira, who singled down the right field line for the game-winner.
 
Sophomore Abby Summers (Weston, Missouri) came on in relief of Kugelmann for the win. Summers struck out two in two innings, allowing one walk and one hit to improve to 2-0. Kugelmann tossed seven innings, striking out three and walking one. She gave up six Memphis hits.
 
Memphis pitcher Molly Smith took the loss (1-1). She pitched the last 3.2 innings, allowing four hits and two walks. She struck out four and gave up the game-winning run, which was earned.
 
FIU takes on Georgetown in the final game of the invitational on Sunday afternoon.

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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/.