Skip To Main Content

FIU Athletics

PanthersCalendar

Full Calendar
Win - Illinois State
4
Winner FIU FIU 6-1
0
Illinois State ILS 1-6
Winner
FIU FIU
6-1
4
Final
0
Illinois State ILS
1-6
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 R H E
FIU FIU 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 4 7 0
Illinois State ILS 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 1

W: McNichols, Brooke (3-1) L: Meshnick, Hannah (1-2)

4
Florida Int'l FIU 6-2
6
Winner North Dakota State NDSU 4-5
Florida Int'l FIU
6-2
4
Final
6
North Dakota State NDSU
4-5
Winner
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Florida Int'l FIU 0 1 0 0 1 2 0 4 9 1
North Dakota State NDSU 1 0 1 1 0 0 3 6 8 2

W: Savy Williams (2-2) L: Byrd, Kennedy (3-1)

Game Recap: Softball |

Softball Blanks Illinois State, Falls Late to North Dakota State on Friday in Mexico

Panthers shutout Redbirds 4-0 in eight innings, before falling to Bison on late homer

PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO – The FIU softball team scored four runs in the top of the eighth inning en route to a 4-0 victory over Illinois State on Friday morning in its opening game for the day at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge in Mexico.
 
The Panthers followed with a 6-4 setback against North Dakota State, that saw the Bison clinch the win with a two-out, three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh.
 
The split moves the Panthers' overall mark on the season to 6-2 overall – FIU is now 2-1 over the first to days at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge, which concludes with a pair of games on Saturday.
 
The opener saw the two teams play scoreless ball over the initial seven innings to push the game to the decisive eighth, with each team having a placed runner on second to open the frame.  Following a sacrifice bunt by Kaleena Downing to advance the placed runner Bailey Grossenbacher to third, Brooke McCann followed with an RBI single to her in for the first run of the game.  The Panthers added another run on an Illinois State error and a fielder's choice before Kennedy Byrd drove home Natalie Burns with the fourth run of the frame.
 
Byrd sat down Illinois State in order in the bottom of the eighth to seal the win.  Junior Brooke McNichols improved to 4-1 after tossing the opening seven innings and limiting the Redbirds to five hits.
 
The second game against North Dakota State saw FIU battle back to take a 4-3 lead in the sixth after trailing 3-1.  The Panthers rallied with a run in the fifth and a pair in the sixth off RBI singles from Collier Peaden (5th) and Byrd (6th) and a final run that scored on a Bison fielding miscue.
 
North Dakota responded with three runs in the bottom of the seventh on a three-run home run by Bella Dean with two outs.  The blast marked the third homer of the contest for the Bison.
 
Byrd took the loss for FIU to slip to 3-1 overall.  Caity Patterson started in the circle for the Panthers and allowed six hits and three runs.  Junior Megan Kruger tossed three innings, allowing one run, before giving way to Byrd.
 
The Panthers totaled nine hits in the loss and left a total of seven runners on base.  Sophomore Kendall Catherwood extended her current hitting streak to eight games with a hit in each of Friday's games.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers conclude action at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge on Saturday, Feb. 15 with a pair of games against BYU and Boise State.
 
FIU will open Saturday's action against BYU beginning at 5 p.m. ET before following with a clash with Boise State at 8 p.m. ET.  Both games will air live on FloSports.
 
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.
 
Print Friendly Version