MIAMI — The FIU softball team had another dominant day to conclude the FIU Classic, producing wins over Saint Francis (5-1) and Toledo (3-1), to achieve one of the program's best 22-game starts in the past 15 years.

The Panthers are now 15-7 overall, which matches the 2014, 2017 and 2019 teams for the best 22-game start since the 2010 squad went 18-4 to begin its slate. 

On top of that, Sunday's sweep closed out an undefeated six-game slate in the FIU Classic and pushed the team's winning streak to eight overall, which is the program's longest since the 2022 team won 10 in a row.

SAINT FRANCIS
Isabella Perez delivered the go-ahead single in the fourth, and FIU added three insurance runs in the fifth as the Panthers produced a 5-1 victory over Saint Francis (7-10) in the opener on Sunday.

A run-scoring groundout from Paige Miller got the action started in the first, although Sofia Zielinski's solo shot for Saint Francis in the fourth tied it up.

FIU's fourth-inning rally started when Janelle Martinez reached first on an error with two outs. After advancing to second on the same play via an obstruction call, she scored on an RBI single from Perez through the left side.

As she's done plenty of times this year, Collier Peaden got a rally going in the fifth as the Alabama native walked and stole second. Kally Meredith, who walked in the next at bat, advanced up a base along with Peaden on a groundout from Miller.

Brooke McCann followed with a ground ball to short where Saint Francis attempted to get Meredith out on the dive back to the bag at second, but she beat the throw while Peaden scored the third run.

Kennedy Byrd then forced a full count before drawing a walk to load the bases for Jensen Luke, who enticed a four-pitch walk for a 4-1 lead. Martinez followed by reaching on a fielder's choice in the ensuing at bat as FIU took a four-run lead.

Meredith, who singled and stole second and third in the first inning to set up Miller's grounder, finished 1-for-3 with two runs, two stolen bases and a walk. 

Sammy Zelenka was the lone Panther with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-2. Peaden and Ciera Diaz produced the other two stolen bases for FIU.

Kendall Catherwood (2-for-2, one run, one walk) led FIU in hits, while three others had one hit apiece, including Perez and Bailey Grossenbacher, who also had one RBI apiece. The Panthers drew five walks as a team.

Byrd (W, 5-5) picked up the victory in the circle, allowing four hits, two walks and one run while striking out three over six frames. In the second inning, she escaped a bases loaded jam with two outs by inducing a fielder's choice groundout. 

Megan Kruger pitched around a two-out error in a scoreless seventh to finish off the game.

TOLEDO
Diaz and Grossenbacher helped lead FIU to a 3-1 win over Toledo (5-8) in the finale, spearheading a two-run rally in the sixth.

The first of those two runs came across on an RBI single to left via Grossenbacher's RBI single to left. She then teamed up with Diaz on a double steal, where Diaz slid across home for a 3-1 lead.

The sixth-inning rally started with back-to-back singles from Catherwood and Zelenka, and Perez came in to run for Zelenka. A sacrifice bunt from Perez then set up Grossenbacher's single and the double steal.

A bases loaded walk from Perez opened the game's scoring in the first, and Toledo's Maris Barbato's RBI double up the gap in right center tied the game in the fourth.

Brooke McNichols (W, 5-1) picked up another victory in the circle, tossing the first six frames while allowing seven hits and zero walks with one strikeout. 

Once again, Kruger entered to finish off the win, picking up her first save of the season with a clean, 1-2-3 frame that featured a game-clinching strikeout.

NEXT UP
The Panthers will close out their non-conference slate on Tuesday in Fort Myers, where they'll face Saint Francis at 1:30 p.m. and FGCU at 6:30 p.m. 

Should FIU win both, the team would match the 2022 squad for the longest winning streak in the program since the 2017 group won 17 straight.

SOCIAL MEDIA
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