MIAMI – The FIU softball team posted a pair of victories on Saturday during the second day of action at the FIU Softball Invitational with wins over Drexel and Brown.
 
Junior Madison Lewis sparked a 3-1 win over Drexel with a three-run triple in the first inning, before sophomore Brooklynn Linneman tossed five perfect innings and closed out a two-hit shutout in a 5-0 win over Brown.
 
The wins improved the Panthers overall mark on the season to 6-9 and moved their mark in games played at this weekend's five-team event to 2-2.
 
The nightcap saw the Panthers jump all over Brown with four runs in the bottom of the first that was keyed by back-to-back singles by freshman Brooke McCann and senior Kayla Whitehead. 
 
Brittany Phillips followed by drawing a walk to load the bases before Madison was hit by a pitch, which drove home McCann with the first run for FIU.
 
Venessa Gallegos followed with an RBI single to plate Whitehead before Brianna Hill ripped a base hit to plate Phillips.  Makayla Garcia was then also hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to increase the FIU lead to 4-0.
 
FIU added another run in the bottom of the sixth to account for the final margin on bases loaded walk by Lewis that scored Hill.
 
FIU hurler Brooklynn Linneman (1-1) earned the win after holding Brown without a base runner for the first five innings, before finally allowing a double to lead off the top of the sixth.  Linneman went the full seven innings while limiting the Bears to just two hits while striking out three.
 
Lewis ripped a two RBI triple in the first inning and Kayla Whitehead scored on groundout in the fourth to lead the Panthers to a 3-1 win over Drexel in its opening game on Saturday.
 
FIU starter Kendahl Dunford went the distance in earning the win to improve to 2-3 on the season.  She limited the Dragons to just one earned run while scattering six hits over seven innings of work.  She struck out three and walked one.
 
Phillips and Lewis each finished with a pair of hits for FIU in the win over Drexel – which snapped a four-game losing skid for the Panthers.
 

UP NEXT:  The Panthers (5-9) close out the FIU Softball Invitational on Sunday, Feb. 27 with a pair of games against Brown (11:30 a.m.) and Drexel (2 p.m.).
 
 
2022 FIU Softball Invitational Schedule
at FIU Softball Stadium
 
Friday, Feb. 25
9 a.m.               Drexel (4) vs. Brown (3) - FINAL
11:30 a.m.        Brown (0) vs. South Dakota (2) - FINAL
2 p.m.               Stony Brook (5) vs. Drexel (3) - FINAL
4:30 p.m.          FIU (3) vs. South Dakota (13) - FINAL
7 p.m.               FIU (2) vs. Stony Brook (6) - FINAL
 
Saturday, Feb. 26
9 a.m.               Drexel (0) vs. South Dakota (4) - FINAL
11:30 a.m.        South Dakota (0) vs. Stony Brook (7) - FINAL
2 p.m.               FIU (3) vs. Drexel (1) - FINAL
4:30 p.m.          Stony Brook (4) vs. Brown (3) - FINAL
7 p.m.               FIU (5) vs. Brown (0) - FINAL
 
Sunday, Feb. 27
9 a.m.               Stony Brook vs. South Dakota
11:30 a.m.        FIU vs. Brown
2 p.m.               FIU vs. Drexel
 
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