MIAMI (Feb. 22, 2019) – The FIU softball team opened the Panther Invitational with two wins on Friday, as the home team took down Columbia and Rutgers to close out the successful day.
 
FIU improves to 8-3 overall with the pair of wins, as the Panthers play Monmouth and Rutgers on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.
 
Live stats for the Panther Invitational can be found here. Game notes for this weekend's matchups can be found here. Tickets to all FIU games can be purchased online at tickets.fiusports.com or by phone at 305-FIU-GAME.
 
FIU's Kendahl Dunford earned both wins in the circle after coming on in relief in the seventh inning against Columbia and pitching a complete game against Rutgers to close out the day. The sophomore surrendered just one run against the Scarlett Knights in seven innings, while only allowing two hits and striking out four batters. Dunford is now 3-0 on the season.
 
Jackie Schoff finished the day 4-for-6, batting in two runs and earning two triples to cap her stellar performance. Freshman Rebecca Koskey hit her first collegiate home run in the second inning against Rutgers, after smashing a two-run shot over the left field wall.

The Panthers took their first game in exciting fashion, after scoring on a walk off following a wacky play to down Columbia, 5-4. After falling behind 3-0, the Panthers took back the lead thanks in part of a pair of triples from Jackie Schoff who finished the game 2-for-3 against the Lions.
 
The game became tied at 4-4 in the bottom of the seventh, before an error by Columbia's shortstop and followed by a failed chase down, allowed Natalie Orcutt to score the winning run.  
 
FIU carried momentum into the night cap against Rutgers, as the Panthers plated six runs in the bottom half of the second inning to rock the Scarlett Knights. AnnMarie Cooker and Jackie Schoff batted in the first four runs, before Rebecca Koskey smashed a homer over the leftfield wall to put FIU up 6-0 after two.
 
FIU allowed just one run late in the sixth inning, but the damage was already done as FIU picked up the 6-1 over the Scarlett Knights.

UP NEXT
After this weekend's games, the Panthers will head to Madeira Beach, Florida from March 1-3 to take part in the Madeira Beach Invitational as FIU faces Georgia Southern, Penn State, Villanova, Siena and Detroit Mercy.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Get all the latest information on the team by following @FIUSoftball on Facebook and @FIUSoftball on Twitter and Instagram. General athletic news can also be found at @FIUSports on Facebook and @FIUAthletics on Twitter and Instagram.