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Birling - Butler - 1
1
FIU FIU 18-19, 5-8 C-USA
2
Winner Florida Atlantic FAU 24-13, 6-4 C-USA
FIU FIU
18-19, 5-8 C-USA
1
Final
2
Florida Atlantic FAU
24-13, 6-4 C-USA
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 R H E
FIU FIU 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 10 3
Florida Atlantic FAU 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 2 9 0

W: SACCO, Gabby (14-3) L: Birling, Sydney (4-6)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Drops Nailbiter in Series Opener at Florida Atlantic, 2-1 in 10 Innings

FIU left hander Sydney Birling goes the distance for her third complete game of the season

BOCA RATON, Fla. – FIU junior left hander Sydney Birling tossed her third complete game of the season, going 10 innings and scattering nine hits before Florida Atlantic came through with a RBI single in the bottom of the 10th to escape with a 2-1 extra-inning victory on Thursday night in the opener of a three-game Conference USA series.
 
The decisive 10th inning saw Birling nearly escape unscathed after the Owls loaded the bases with no outs.  Birling followed by getting a strikeout and pop out to settle things down before Riley Olsen laced a single to right field to plate the winning run.
 
The Owls (25-13, 7-4 C-USA) benefited from a pair of errors in the 10th by Panthers to set up the winning score.
 
Florida Atlantic opened the game's scoring in the bottom of the third on an RBI ground out by Joey Jones, which plated Jesiana Mora with the contest's opening run.
 
FIU (18-19, 5-8 C-USA) answered with a single tally in the fourth when Ashton Lansdell scored on a scorched Carmen Perez RBI single to left.
 
The game remained scoreless for the next five frames before Florida Atlantic finally scored in the 10th.
 
Both teams left a total of 11 runners on base – FIU had baserunners in each of the final five innings.
 
Birling (4-6) was the hard luck loser after going all 10 innings and keeping the Owls out of scoring position for the majority of the contest.  She allowed nine hits and a pair of runs – only one of which was earned.  She struck out four and walked four.
 
Gabby Saco (15-3) picked up the win after allowing nine hits and one unearned run over 10 innings.  She struck out a pair and issued three free passes.
 
Freshman Isabella Perez and senior Madison Lewis each finished with two hits for FIU in the loss.  Senior Frankie Izard posted the Panthers' lone extra-base hit with a triple in the fifth.    
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers continue their series with the Owls on Friday, April 7 in a 2 p.m. ET start in Boca Raton.
 
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.
 
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