BOCA RATON, Florida (April 7, 2019) – The FIU softball team picked up its first Conference USA series win of the season, as the Panthers downed Florida Atlantic 5-2 on Sunday afternoon in Boca Raton. 

The win, which is FIU's second straight, follows up the 11-9 victory against the Owls on Saturday night. With the result, FIU improves to 20-19 overall and 2-10 in C-USA play, while FAU drops to 17-21 and 4-8 on the year.  
 
Allison Muraskin was in the circle for FIU and pitched her eighth complete game of the season, as she allowed just two runs and struck out four batters for the win. The sophomore is now 6-10 on the year. 

FIU was led at the plate by sophomore catcher AnnMarie Cooker, whose two-run single in the fourth gave FIU a 3-0 lead at the time. Senior Deven Kennedy went 2-for-3, with a double, single and RBI as well. 
 
The game would remain scoreless for three innings before the Panthers jumped ahead 3-0 in the top of the fourth after a pair of singles by Kennedy and Cooker brought home three runs. The Panther offense pushed its lead to 4-0 in the fifth frame after Brittany Phillips' SAC fly brought home Natalie Orcutt. FIU added one more run in the top of the seventh, after a bases loaded hit-by-pitch would score Phillips.

The Owls would trim the gap to 5-2 in the bottom half, but Muraskin and the FIU defense held off the rally and earned the victory to secure the series win. 

UP NEXT
The Panthers will return to Felsberg Field to host a non-conference doubleheader against Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday, April 10. First pitch is slated for 4 p.m.

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.