MIAMI (Feb. 28, 2019) - The FIU softball team will head to Madeira Beach, Florida as the Panthers take part in the Madeira Beach Invitational on March 1-3. The Panthers will face Georgia Southern, Penn State, Villanova, Siena and Detroit Mercy over the weekend.

The Madeira Beach Invitational will begin for the Panthers on Friday at 1:30 p.m. ET, as FIU faces Georgia Southern and later Penn State at 6:30 p.m. ET to close out day one. The Panthers will continue play on Saturday against Villanova (4:00 p.m. ET) and Siena (6:30 p.m. ET) before closing out the road trip on Sunday against Detroit Mercy (9:00 a.m. ET).

Live stats for the Madeira Beach Invitational will be sparse, more information will be provided via Twitter (@FIUSoftball). Game notes for this weekend's matchups can be found here. 

Tickets to all FIU home games can be purchased online at tickets.fiusports.com or by phone at 305-FIU-GAME.

LAST TIME OUT
The FIU softball team went 3-2 over the weekend, capping the Panther Invitational with wins over Big-10 foe Rutgers and Columbia, while falling to Monmouth on Saturday and dropping the second game against Columbia on Sunday. 
 
IN THE CIRCLE
In the circle, Kendahl Dunford earned both wins in the circle on Friday after coming on in relief in the seventh inning against Columbia and pitching a complete game against Rutgers to close out the day. Dunford earned her second save of the season, as the sophomore slammed the door shut on a Scarlett Knight comeback. Dunford went on to take the loss for the Panthers in the circle against Columbia, after giving up three runs in three innings of work, she now sits at 3-1 for the year. Senior, Megan Kugelmann picked up the win over Rutgers, she is 3-1 on the year. 

AT THE PLATE
FIU was led at the plate by Jackie Schoff who hit .533 with four runs, two RBIs, two triples and a walk. The senior was 8-for-15 overall on the weekend. Natalie Orcutt was 2-for-3 at the plate against Rutgers, earning the go-ahead, three-run homer that propelled the Panthers past the Scarlett Knights for the eventual 4-3 win. 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.

UP NEXT
The Panthers return to Felsberg Field on March 7 to host Boston College at 7 p.m. ET before hosting the FAU/FIU invitational from March 8-10 with North Dakota State, Purdue, Stony Brook, East Carolina and Long Island visiting Miami. 

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.