MIAMI — The FIU softball team used a three-run fifth inning and some defensive heroics from Kally Meredith to produce a 5-2 victory over Louisiana Tech on Saturday at Felsberg Field.
 
With the victory, which was FIU's 20th of the season at home, the Panthers (29-13, 11-6 CUSA) moved into sole possession of second place in the conference standings, one game ahead of Louisiana Tech and Sam Houston.
 
Reagan Marchant, who hit a solo home run in the first inning as Louisiana Tech grabbed an early lead, stepped to the plate for her second at bat in the third inning with runners on first and second and nobody out.
 
Marchant lined another shot deep to centerfield, but Meredith raced back and leaped up to rob her of extra bases at least and potentially a three-run home run.
 
With that momentum swing, Megan Kruger induced a ground out and a fly out to end the threat.
 
FIU's Kennedy Byrd answered Marchant's first-inning blast with a solo shot of her own in the fourth.
 
The Panthers, however, saw Marchant stay hot as Louisiana Tech's first baseman produced a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth.
 
As they've done all season, though, FIU's offense showed its ability to produce in clutch situations as the Panthers rallied for three runs in the next half inning.
 
After an error started the inning, Collier Peaden singled on a bunt, and Meredith walked to load the bases.
 
That brought in a pitching change, as Louisiana Tech's Friday night starter Allie Floyd entered the circle.
 
FIU persevered through that as Kendall Catherwood drew a game-tying, bases loaded walk on five pitches. Paige Miller then smacked a ball up the middle for a two-run single as Meredith nicely slid around the tag for the second run.
 
The Panthers added an insurance run in the sixth when Bailey Grossenbacher singled up the middle, stole second and scored on a one-out single up the middle from Sammy Zelenka.
 
A half-inning earlier, Kruger had allowed a leadoff double, which brought Jewelie Vanderkous in from the bullpen. She pitched around a walk with a pair of lineouts and groundout to maintain the lead.
 
Vanderkous allowed a leadoff single in the seventh, but two strikeouts and a fly out finished off a two-inning save – her second of the season.
 
Kruger picked up the win, improving to 9-1 on the season after allowing eight hits and two walks over five-plus innings.
 
FIU had six players scatter six hits. Miller's two RBIs led the team, while five different players scored one run, including pinch runner Lindsey Burroughs. The Panthers also drew five walks.
 
With her 1-for-2 performance at the plate, Byrd pushed her hitting streak to six straight, seven of the past eight and 11 of her past 13. Three of those games have featured multi-hit outings.
 
Meredith had a three-game hitting streak snapped, but she has recorded at least one base knock in nine of the past 11 games.
 
Miller has hits in each of the first two games in this weekend's series, and she has tallied hits in 11 of the past 12 contests, which includes six multi-hit games.

UP NEXT
FIU concludes the three-game set with Louisiana Tech on Sunday at 1 p.m. Following that, the Panthers travel to UTEP next weekend and Liberty May 2-4, sandwiched around a home series against Western Kentucky April 25-27.

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