MIAMI – The FIU softball team hits the road for the first time this season as it treks to Madeira Beach, Fla., this weekend for six games over a three-day stretch at "The Spring Games" event at R.O.C. Park.
 
The Panthers are slated to play a pair of games each day beginning on Friday, Feb. 24 and concluding on Sunday, Feb. 26.
 
FIU SCHEDULE AT THE SPRING GAMES
Records listed in () are entering weekend's play
 
Friday, Feb. 24
FIU (6-5) vs. Dartmouth (0-0)
1:30 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
 
FIU vs. Valparaiso (1-4)
4 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
 
Saturday, Feb. 25
FIU vs. Notre Dame (5-4)
11 a.m. ET
LIVE STATS
 
FIU vs. Oakland (0-0)
1:30 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS
 
Sunday, Feb. 26
FIU vs. Notre Dame
10 a.m. ET
LIVE STATS
 
FIU vs. Siena (5-0)
12:30 p.m. ET
LIVE STATS

LOOKING TO CONTINUE STRONG START TO 2023
The Panthers enter this weekend's action 6-5 overall and have only lost to ranked or power five opponents.  Of FIU's five losses this season – two have come against current No. 5 ranked Clemson and another against current No. 21 Missouri.  The only other losses came against ACC member Pittsburgh.
 
FIU has posted wins against Kansas City (twice), Georgia State, Stetson and Butler (twice) through the first 11 games of the season.
 
BROOKE MCCANN HEATING UP
Sophomore Brooke McCann has swung a clutch bat over the last six games as she has driven in a total of seven runs while hitting .429 over the same stretch.  She has registered at least one hit in five of the last seven games.
 
ELLA WHITNEY TOSSES FIRST COMPLETE GAME
Freshman hurler Ella Whitney tossed the first complete game of her collegiate career in FIU's 3-2 victory over Butler on Feb. 19.
 
Whitney (2-2) went seven innings for the complete game victory, limiting the Bulldogs to four hits and two runs.  She struck out two and walked one.
 
It marked the first complete game victory for the Panthers since the final game of the 2022 season.
 
The win over Butler actually marked Whitney's second victory of the week which saw her toss a total of seven innings.  She also notched a win over Stetson after entering the game in relief in the top of the first with no outs and the bases loaded.  She wiggled out of that jam and proceeded to finish the game, which resulted in a 6-3 win for the Panthers.
 
Whitney limited the Hatters to just four hits and one run over seven innings of relief.  She struck out two and walked one.
 
PANTHERS WRAP UP 11-GAME HOMESTAND
The Panthers played their initial 11 games of the 2023 season at Felsberg Field in Miami.  FIU opened the season with back-to-back tournaments on the first two weekends of the season and also sandwiched in a single game against Stetson.
 
Following this weekend's six-games at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, the Panthers will return home to host their third and final tournament of the season with the FIU Classic from March 3-5 in Miami.
 
The FIU Classic will also include Stonehill College, Nevada and Stony Brook.
 
MOST HITS IN 64 GAMES
The Panthers finished the game with 13 hits in their 9-2 victory over Kansas City on Feb. 10 – their highest total in the last 64 games.  Senior Frankie Izard and junior Carmen Perez each led the way with three hits. 
 
Overall, the Panthers have recorded three games with double-digit hit totals over the opening 11 games of 2023.
 
RUN, RUN, RUN
FIU's improved team speed was evident throughout the opening weekend of play as the Panthers posted a total of 13 stolen bases during the opening five game of the season at the Felsberg Invitational.
 
While only being caught three times overall, FIU posted a game-high six swipes against Kansas City on Feb. 10.  The Panthers logged four swipes in its second meeting with the Roos on Feb. 11.
 
Overall, FIU has posted at least one stolen base in eight of 11 games this season and currently ranks tied for 28^th nationally in stolen bases per game.
 
Freshman Makayla Navarro paces the Panthers with a perfect six steals on six attempts.  Senior Frankie Izard follos with five steals.  Junior Alexis Ross and sophomore Ashton Lansdell are each a perfect 4-of-4 on their attempts this season.
 
Six different players have stolen at least one base for the Panthers this season.
 
DON'T RUN
FIU freshman catcher Isabella Perez has already established herself as a problem for opposing baserunners – she is currently ranked No. 2 in the nation for most runners caught stealing with six. 
 
The backstop opened her collegiate career by tossing out five of the first six baserunners who attempted to steal against her.
 
Entering this weekend's action, Perez has tossed out 6-of-13 would-be base stealers.
 
WHAT IS BACK/NEW FOR FIU
The Panthers features a total of 11 newcomers on this season's roster, including eight freshmen.  FIU returns 10 letterwinners from the 2022 squad and lost a total of 16 players.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers return home to host the four-team FIU Classic at Felsberg Field in Miami beginning Friday, March 3.
   
TICKETS
For more information on FIU Softball season and individual tickets, including student ticketing, call 305-FIU-GAME or visit the FIU Athletics Online Ticket Office.
 
SOCIAL MEDIA
Fans are encouraged to follow the Panthers on Instagram (@FIUSoftball), Twitter (@FIUSoftball), and Facebook (Facebook.com/FIUSoftball) for all the latest FIU Softball news.