MIAMI – The FIU softball team begins Conference USA play this weekend as it travels to Charlotte for a three-game conference series beginning Saturday, March 10 at Sue M. Daughtridge Stadium.
The Panthers and 49ers will conclude the series with single games on Saturday, March 11 (1 p.m.) and Sunday, March 12 (1 p.m.).
All three games of the FIU-Charlotte series will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Links for all three games as well as live stat links for the weekend are below.
ESPN+ LIVE STREAM LINKS
Friday, March 10 – Game 1 – 6 p.m.
Saturday, March 11 – Game 2 – 1 p.m.
Sunday, March 12 – Game 3 – 1 p.m.
LIVE STAT LINK (ALL THREE GAMES)
FIU vs. Charlotte – Live Stats
PANTHERS PLAY FIRST TRUE ROAD CONTESTS THIS WEEKEND
The Panthers will be playing their first true road games of the 2023 season when they take on the 49ers in Charlotte this weekend.
FIU played 18 of its first 24 games on its home diamond – with the other six games taking place at The Spring Games event in Madeira Beach, Fla.
SCOUTING CHARLOTTE
The 49ers enter this weekend's series with a 10-9 overall record but have dropped each of their last four contests, after opening the season 10-5. Of the four recent losses, two game against ranked opponents (No. 11 Washington and No. 15 Duke). They also dropped a pair of games earlier this season against No. 19 Stanford.
Charlotte boasts a 6-3 record at home this season, with losses coming against Campbell, Penn State and Duke.
The 49ers have posted two wins against ranked opponents this season, including No. 23 Arizona State and No. 13 Georgia.
Offensively, Charlotte has hit a total of 24 home runs and scored 86 runs over the first 19 games in 2023. The pitching staff boasts a 1.43 combined earned run average.
FRESHMAN MEGAN KRUGER TOSSES FIRST NO-HITTER SINCE 2016
Freshman
Megan Kruger tossed the first no hitter for the FIU softball team since the 2016 season as the Panthers rolled to an 8-0 victory in five innings over Stonehill College on March 3.
Kruger's no hitter was the first for FIU since March 5, 2016 when Megan Kuglemann pulled it off vs. Florida A&M – a span of 329 games.
LANSDELL AND ISABELLA PEREZ SPARK SWINING HOT BATS
Sophomore
Ashton Lansdell has posted at least one hit in seven on the last eight games for FIU, including a pair of home runs, six RBI and 10 runs scored. She has also swiped a perfect 7-of-7 bases during the stretch.
Meanwhile, freshman catcher
Isabella Perez has been a key run producer for the Panthers with 10 RBI over the last seven games.
Lansdell and Perez combined for seven RBI in the Panthers' recent 8-5 victory over Stony Brook on March 4.
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. 21 nationally in stolen bases per game with an average of 2.21 per contest.
The Panthers have stolen a total of 53 bases through the opening 24 games of the season and have only been caught seven times. FIU has not been thrown out on any of its last 20 steal attempts overall.
Sophomore
Ashton Lansdell ranks sixth nationally and leads Conference USA with a perfect 18-of-18 performance in her stolen base attempts this season.
Freshman
Makayla Navarro ranks 17
th nationally and fourth among conference leaders with 14 swipes on 15 attempts.
Ten different players have stolen at least one base for the Panthers this season.
Overall, FIU has posted at least one stolen base in 20 of 24 games this season – including the last eight straight.
The Panthers have posted multiple steals in a total of 16 contests this season.
FIU swiped a season-high six bases twice this season – vs. Kansas City (Feb. 10) and Holy Cross (March 7).
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. She currently leads the Panthers with five homers – which also ranks fourth among C-USA leaders and 57
th nationally.
Lansdell led off the Panthers' 10-2 win over Oakland (Feb. 25) with a shot over the left field wall, before replicating the effort the following afternoon to open the game vs. Siena (Feb. 26).
DOUBLE-DIGIT HITS
The Panthers have recorded double-digit hit totals in a total of seven games through the first 24 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. 2 in the nation for most runners caught stealing with 10.
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 10-of-20 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 return home next weekend to host Louisiana Tech in the first Conference USA home series of the season beginning on Friday, March 17 at Felsberg Field. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. ET.
The Panthers and Louisiana Tech will also square off on Saturday and Sunday – both game times are set for 1 p.m. ET.
All three games of the FIU-Louisiana Tech series will be aired 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.
