MIAMI – The FIU softball team is back on its home diamond this weekend for its fourth tournament in as many weeks as the Panthers welcome Stonehill College, Nevada and Stony Brook for the FIU Classic at Felsberg Field.
 
FIU (9-8) will play a total of five games over the three-day event beginning on Friday, March 3 vs. Stonehill in a 12:30 p.m. ET first pitch.  The Panthers will follow with a second game on Friday against Nevada at 5:30 p.m.
 
Saturday will see FIU take on Stony Brook in a 12:30 p.m. start before playing an opponent to be determined at either 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. on Saturday before a final game at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 5.
 
LIVE STATS – CLICK HERE
TICKETS – CLICK HERE
 
2023 FIU CLASSIC (COMPLETE SCEHDULE)
 
Friday, March 3

10 a.m.                     Stony Brook (4-4) vs. Stonehill (0-5)

12:30 p.m.                FIU (9-8) vs. Stonehill

3 p.m.                       Stony Brook vs. Nevada (12-2)

5:30 p.m.                  FIU vs. Nevada

 
Saturday, March 4

10 a.m.                     Nevada vs. Stonehill

12:30 p.m.                FIU vs. Stony Brook

3 p.m.                       2nd vs. 3rd

5:30 p.m.                  1st vs. 4th

 
Sunday, March 5

10 a.m.                     TBA vs. TBA

12:30 p.m.                FIU vs. TBA

 
LIVE STREAM SCHEDULE/LINKS
Friday - FIU vs. Stonehill (12:30 p.m.)
Sunday - FIU vs. TBA (12:30 p.m.)
 
PANTHERS CLOSE OUT TOURNAMENT PLAY THIS WEEKEND
FIU is playing a tournament for the fourth consecutive weekend to open the season as well as their third at home when they play this weekend's FIU Classic.
 
The Panthers went 3-3 in their lone tournament away from home last weekend at The Spring Games in Madeira Beach, Fla.  FIU posted three consecutive days of 1-1 records – winning the second game after dropping the first on each of the three days.
 
FIU posted wins over Valparaiso, Oakland and Siena, while losing a pair of games to Notre Dame and one to Dartmouth.
 
Overall, the Panthers will play 18 of their first 24 games at home following this weekend's action and a doubleheader against Holy Cross on Tuesday, March 7 in Miami.
 
RUN, RUN, RUN
FIU's improved team speed has been evident during the non-conference season as the Panthers currently lead Conference USA and rank No. 35 nationally in stolen bases per game with an average of 1.94 per contest.
 
The Panthers have stolen a total of 33 bases through the opening 17 games of the season and have only been caught seven times.
 
Sophomore Ashton Lansdell leads the Panthers and ranks second in Conference USA and 11^th nationally with 11 steals.  Lansdell has not been caught stealing this season.  Freshman Makayla Navarro ranks second on the squad and seventh among C-USA leaders with seven steals on eight attempts.
 
Despite each missing significant time recently due to injuries, outfielders Frankie Izard (5-of-6) and Alexis Ross (4-of-4) come up next in the Panthers' steal leaders.
 
Eight different players have stolen at least one base for the Panthers this season.
 
Overall, FIU has posted at least one stolen base in 13 of 17 games this season and posted multiple swipes nine times.
 
FIU swiped a season-high six bases vs. Kansas City on Feb. 10.          
 
OPENING WITH LEADOFF JACKS
Sophomore Ashton Lansdell opened games in back-to-back days with leadoff home runs at The Spring Games on Feb. 25 and 26.
 
Lansdell led off the Panthers' 10-2 win over Oakland with a shot over the left field wall, before replicating the effort the following afternoon to open the game vs. Siena.
 
Overall, Lansdell leads the Panthers with three homers.  She also sits atop the FIU leaderboard with nine RBI.
 
LOOKING TO CONTINUE STRONG START TO 2023
The Panthers enter this weekend's action 9-8 overall and seven of their eight losses have come against either ranked or power five opponents. 
 
Of FIU's eight losses this season – two have come against current No. 4 ranked Clemson and another against current No. 24 Missouri.  The other power five losses came against ACC members Notre Dame (twice) and Pittsburgh.
 
FIU's only loss to a non-ranked or non-power five came on Feb. 24 vs. Dartmouth by a 4-3 margin.
 
DOUBLE-DIGIT HITS
The Panthers have recorded double-digit hit totals in a total of five games through the first 17 this season.

The Panthers finished with 13 hits in their 9-2 victory over Kansas City on Feb. 10 – at the time their highest total in the last 64 games. 
 
FIU bested that effort with 14 knocks in its 10-2 win over Oakland on Feb. 25 – its highest total in a 77-game stetch.
 
DON'T RUN
FIU freshman catcher Isabella Perez has already established herself as a problem for opposing baserunners – she is currently ranked No. 8 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-15 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
FIU will host Holy Cross in a doubleheader on Tuesday, March 7 beginning at 10 a.m. at Felsberg Field in Miami.
 
The Panthers-Crusaders twinbill will be streamed live on Conference USA TV.
 
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.