MIAMI (March 11, 2017) -- FIU hit two three-run home runs and won 8-0 over Fairfield in game two of a Saturday non-conference doubleheader in five innings at Felsberg Field and the FIU Softball Stadium. The win gives FIU seven wins in a row and pushes the overall record to 21-6. That is the best record through 27 games in school history, beating the 20-7 start in 2001 and 20-8 record in 2010.
 
Freshman hurler Shannon Saile (Land O'Lakes, Florida / Land O'Lakes HS) tossed her second one-hit shutout of the season, allowing just one the one baserunner in five innings. She struck out six to push her season total to 103.
 
After one out was recorded in the bottom of the second, the Panthers got back-to-back singles, which allowed junior transfer Julia Gilbert (Rialto, California) to drive a 1-0 pitch out to left for the first three runs of the game. It was her second of the season.
 
FIU put the game out of reach with a five-run fourth inning. The first run of the frame came on a throwing error and the second on an RBI single to left from senior Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep). That single put runners at second and third with one out for senior Stephanie Texeira (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep), who hit a 3-1 pitch out to the scoreboard in center to make it 8-0. Texeira now has six homers, second-most on the squad this season.
 
The Panthers will complete the weekend with an 11:15 a.m. game against LIU Brooklyn on Sunday morning in Boca Raton, Florida, at the FAU Softball Stadium.

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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/.