MIAMI – The FIU softball team dropped a pair of games against No. 2 ranked Florida State on Saturday afternoon before a sellout crowd of 1,197 at FIU Softball Stadium.
 
The Panthers were defeated 7-0 in the opener before dropping a 6-1 decision in the finale. 
 
Florida State used a five-run outburst in the fifth inning to take control of game one.  The key blow came via a three-run home run by Michaela Edenfield.  Kaley Mudge preceded Edenfield with a two-run shot earlier in the top of the fourth for Florida State.
 
FIU only managed a pair of hits in the initial game of the doubleheader – singles by Brooke McCann and Kayla Whitehead
 
Panther starting pitcher Kendahl Dunford (5-7) tossed her ninth complete game of the season while allowing nine hits and seven earned runs over seven innings.  She walked eight and struck out four.
 
Emma Wilson (2-0) notched the win for Florida State with four innings of work that saw her allow just a pair of hits and two walks.
 
Florida State scored two runs in each of the third, fourth and sixth innings to lead it to a 6-1 win in Saturday's finale.
 
Edenfield drove in another two runs for the Seminoles in the win and Mack Leonard ripped three hits, including a double.
 
FIU's lone run came after Whitehead led off the bottom of the fourth with a triple to right.  Alyssa Laboy, who entered to pinch run for Whitehead, scored on a sacrifice fly by Venessa Gallegos.
 
The losses drop the Panthers' record to 15-17 overall.  Florida State moves to 30-2 with the two victories.
 
UP NEXT:  The Panthers (15-15, 1-5) return to action next weekend when they travel to face Western Kentucky in a three-game Conference USA series beginning Friday, April 1 at 7 p.m. ET.
 
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