MIAMI – Junior Kennedy Byrd tossed her second consecutive complete game, this one a shutout, as the FIU softball team blanked Stony Brook 2-0 on Saturday afternoon for their third consecutive victory to start the season.
 
The start marks the Panthers best since also opening with three consecutive wins in 2021.
 
Byrd allowed five hits and fanned four over seven innings to improve to a perfect 2-0 while tossing her second consecutive complete game.
 
Sophomore Kendall Catherwood put the Panthers ahead with an RBI double in the top of the first to right center drove home Kally Meredith, who led off with a bunt single to give Panthers a 1-0 lead.
 
The score remained the same until the bottom of the sixth when freshman Sammy Zelenka ripped a single to right center that plated Collier Peaden to extend the lead to 2-0.
 
Stony Brook had a chance to tie the game or take the lead in its half of the seventh but Byrd managed to get a pop up to second for the final out after the Seawolves got runners on second and third.

The Panthers dropped the nightcap on Saturday by a 7-5 margin against Iowa State.  The game saw FIU battle back to tie the game on two occassions and claim a 5-4 lead in the fifth.

The Cyclones tied the game in the sixth before scoring two runs in hte top half of the seventh to secure the win.  Meredith, Peaden and Isabella Perez each finished with a pair of hits to lead FIU in the loss.
 
UP NEXT
The Panthers conclude play at the Felsberg Invitational on Sunday, Feb. 9 against Stony Brook in an 11:30 a.m. start.
 
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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