MIAMI – For the second consecutive night, the FIU softball team took full advantage of a defensive miscue by its opponent and secured its second straight win over a Power Four opponent as it took down Iowa State by a 7-6 margin in eight innings on Friday night during the second day of the Felsberg Invitational.
 
After the Panthers rallied from a 5-2 deficit with a combined three runs over the sixth and seventh innings to push it to the decisive eighth, sophomore Kally Meredith hit a comebacker to the circle to Iowa State pitcher Lauren Schurman threw an errant toss down the right field line allowing Jianna Simmonet, who was the placed runner at second, to race home with the tying run before Meredith followed, touching base before crossing with the winning run.
 
The win marked the second straight game to open the 2025 season that the Panthers one on a walk-off against a Power Four opponent, after defeating Indiana by a 4-3 margin on Thursday.
 
The Panthers finished with nine hits and captured the win despite leaving a total of 10 runners on base.
 
Junior Brooke McNichols (1-0) notched the win after tossing four innings in relief and allowing three runs, two of which were earned and striking out four.  Junior Megan Kruger opened for the Panthers and went four innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs.
 
Iowa State (0-2) jumped in front 1-0 in the top of the third on a two-out double to deep center by Angelina Allen, which scored Serenti Trice.
 
The Panthers (2-0) responded with a couple of runs in the bottom of the third to claim a 2-1 edge.  After Meredith, Collier Peaden and Kendall Catherwood opened the frame with consecutive singles, Kennedy Byrd drove in Meredith on a sacrifice fly to right.  Bailey Grossenbacher followed one batter later with a groundout that plated Peaden to put FIU in front.
 
The Cyclones tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the fourth on a run-scoring single to right center by Ashley Minor, which scored Sydney Mallot, who reached earlier on a one-out double.
 
Iowa State claimed the lead again on a double with the bases loaded by Reagan Bartholomew that cleared the bases and opened up a 5-2 margin for the Cyclones in the top of the fifth.
 
Senior Janelle Martinez got the Panthers within 5-4 with a clutch single to left that scored a pair in the bottom of the fifth.  Catherwood, who reached after leading off the inning by getting hit by a pitch and Grossenbacher, who singled, both crossed.
 
Martinez was also crucial to the comeback in the seventh that pushed the game to extra innings.  She led off the seventh with a deep double to center before scoring the tying run on a two-out single by freshman Sammy Zelenka, who got the clutch hit in her first collegiate plate appearance.
 
NOTABLE
Senior Brooke McCann made her first plate appearance since 2023 after missing the entire 2024 season due to injury and blooped a double into right field to set up the Panthers with runners on second and third and one out in the bottom of the fifth.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers continue play at the Felsberg Invitational with a pair of games on Saturday.  FIU will open play against Stony Brook beginning at approximately 12:30 p.m. and follow with a second contest against an opponent to be determined at either 3 p.m. or 5:30 p.m.
 
The Felsberg Invitational will conclude on Sunday with a pair of games at 9 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.
 
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
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