MIAMI – Junior left hander Sydney Birling tossed her second complete game of the season to help lead the FIU softball team to a 3-1 victory over UTSA in the opening game of a three-game Conference USA series on Friday night.
 
All three of the Panthers' runs in the game were unearned as FIU capitalized on three errors by the Roadrunners.
 
UTSA (6-25, 2-5 CUSA) took the game's first lead on a double to right by Marena Estell which scored Kat Ibarra.
 
The lead was short lived as the Panthers added single tallies in both the first and second to claim a 2-1 edge.
 
Isabella Perez, who reached on a double to center, scored on a passed ball and throwing error by UTSA catcher Taylor Jensen to tie the score at 1-1. 
 
Carmen Perez laced an RBI double to left in the second to plate Brooke McCann and give FIU the lead at 2-1.
 
FIU (16-18, 3-7 CUSA) took advantage of a pair of UTSA errors in the sixth to stretch its lead to 3-1.  Makayla Navarro scored on a dropped pop up, following a steal of second after entering as a pinch runner.
 
Birling (4-5) picked up her second complete game of the season after limiting the Roadrunners to one run and four hits over seven innings.  She recorded a pair of strikeouts and walked only one.
 
Reagan Smith (3-10) was the loser for UTSA after allowing two runs, both unearned and five hits in four innings.
 
Isabella Perez and Ashton Lansdell each finished with a pair of hits to pace FIU offensively.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers continue their weekend series against UTSA on Saturday, April 1 in a 1 p.m. ET first pitch at Felsberg Field.
 
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.
 
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