LYNCHBURG, VA. --- The FIU softball team saw its season end with a 7-0 loss to No. 25 Liberty on Sunday in the third game of a weekend series at Kamphuis Field at Liberty Softball Stadium.
 
The Panthers finish the season 29-22-1 overall and 11-15-1 in Conference USA play. Liberty improved to 44-11 and 23-3. As the regular season champions, they will enter next weekend's CUSA tournament as the No. 1 seed.
 
Although FIU was limited to just one hit by Liberty's combination of Kayla Yoder (W, 9-4) and Paige Bachman, the Panthers had at least one baserunner in each of the first six innings.
 
Kendall Catherwood and Janelle Martinez were hit by a pitch in the first and second innings, respectively. Jensen Luke walked with one out in the third.
 
Kennedy Byrd tallied the lone hit with an infield single to short with one out in the fourth. Luke reached base for the second time on another hit by pitch with two outs in the fifth.
 
In the sixth, FIU produced its best scoring opportunity by getting a leadoff walk from Jianna Simonet and a one out walk from Byrd.
 
However, Byrd and Simonet were stranded at second and third to end the rally, and the Panthers were retired 1-2-3 in the seventh.
 
Byrd (L, 11-13) pitched the first 4+ innings for FIU, allowing a hit by pitch and a single to lead off the fifth before being replaced by Megan Kruger, who went the rest of the way. She allowed three hits, two runs and one walk with one strikeout.
 
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