MIAMI – FIU senior Frankie Izard laced an RBI single to left in the bottom of the eighth inning to lift the Panthers to their third-consecutive win and second of the afternoon with a walk-off 5-4 victory over Kansas City in eight innings on Saturday at the Felsberg Invitational.
 
FIU (3-1) opened the day with a 4-3 win over Georgia State, which saw it post a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to secure another come-from-behind triumph.
 
In Saturday's extra-inning win over Kansas City, Izard's clutch two-out single in the bottom of the eighth plated Abigail Brown for the game's decisive run. 
 
The Panthers rallied for the victory after falling behind 2-0 in the third when Kansas City posted a pair of runs on a single from Ally Vonfeldt before adding another on an FIU throwing miscue.
 
FIU claimed a 3-2 edge with a run in the fourth and two in the fifth.  Freshman Kaleena Downing smashed her first collegiate homer, a solo shot over the left center fence to put the Panthers on the board.  Carmen Perez drove home a pair on the fifth with a double to center to give the Panthers their first lead of the contest.
 
Kansas City (1-3) reclaimed the lead at 4-3 with two runs in the top of the sixth.  The Panthers responded with a single tally in the seventh on a run set up by the speed of Alexis Ross.  Ross opened the frame with a infield single, stole second and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt before crossing the plate on an error by Kansas City infielder Katie Noble to send the game into extra innings.
 
FIU freshman Brooke McNichols (3-0) earned her third victory of the season while pitching the final three innings and allowing a pair of runs and three hits.  She fanned three batters. 
 
Camryn Stickel (1-1) went the distance in the loss.  She gave up five runs, four earned and 11 hits over 7.2 innings of work.  She struck out seven and walked one.
 
In Saturday's opening game against Georgia State, the Panthers erased a 3-2 deficit with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to snag a 4-3 win.
 
The Panthers claimed the game's first lead in the bottom of the first on a fielder's choice from Carmen Perez which plated Izard.  Georgia State answered with a single tally in the top of the second, before FIU reclaimed the lead in the bottom of the second at 2-1 on a run-scoring double by Amelia Varela.
 
Georgia State (0-3) claimed a 3-2 edge in the top of the fifth with some help from a pair of FIU errors.  The Panthers posted a pair of runs in their half of the fifth when Ross scored on a sacrifice fly after opening the inning with a single.  Izard scored on an error by Georgia State shortstop Jackie Gonzalez to give FIU the lead for good at 4-3.
 
McNichols once again earned the victory for FIU after scattering four hits and shutting out Georgia State over the final 2.1 innings.
 
Ross had quite a day offensively for the Panthers as she finished with six hits over the two games, along with four runs scored and three stolen bases.  Carmen Perez logged three hits, two steals and three RBI over the two wins.
 
The Panthers close out play at the Felsberg Invitational on Sunday, Feb. 12 vs. Clemson or Georgia State in a 12:30 p.m. ET first pitch.
 
Sunday's FIU game will be streamed on Conference USA TV.
   
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