MIAMI— FIU's softball program notched two victories on Day Two of the Felsberg Invitational, cruising past Texas A&M-Corpus Christi this afternoon before stunning Louisville in the nightcap. 

The Panthers (3-0) downed Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 10-2 in the opener to improve to 2-0 at their home invite. FIU then turned its attention to a matchup with ACC-foe Louisville under the lights at Baptist Health Stadium. In front of a raucous crowd, the Panthers used a four-run sixth inning to down the Cardinals 7-5. This was FIU's first-ever win over Louisville and first win since March 12, 2024 over an ACC opponent. 

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
FIU opened Day Two at the Felsberg Invitational with a one-sided 10-2 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi in five innings. The Panthers defeated the Islanders for the second-straight day behind homers from Kally Meredith and Zamya McBurrows. In the circle, Kennedy Byrd (1-0) made her first start of the season and was very effective, pitching a complete game 5.0 innings while allowing just six hits and two earned runs.

Meredith opened the game with an inside-the-park homer on the first pitch, setting the stage for an FIU offensive show. The Islanders tied the game in the third at 1-all, but the Panthers responded with an eight-run third to regain the momentum. Leah Clark ripped a single through the right side to put FIU back in front, 3-1, scoring Chloe Bedwell and Zamya McBurrows.

Fellow newcomer Riley Silvers followed with a two-run single of her own to put FIU ahead 5-1 in the frame. With the bases loaded, McBurrows stepped to the plate and hammered an Islander pitch over the left center field fence for a grand slam. Ahead 9-1, both sides traded runs in the fourth inning before Byrd shut the door in the fifth for a run-rule victory, 10-2. 

The homer for McBurrows is the first of her career. For Meredith, this was her first homer since the 2024 season. Silvers was very productive in her first collegiate contest, going 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored after getting the start behind the dish. Daley Alsobrook picked up her first collegiate hit, knocking out a pinch-hit single in the fourth. 

Louisville
Freshman Meagan Villazon (1-0) earned her first collegiate start for FIU in a marquee matchup against Louisville on Friday night. The Doral Academy product shined in front of her hometown crowd with 6.0 innings pitched, surrendering just three earned runs and striking out three. J'dah Grigorie then came on in relief of Villazon and finished off the win for her first career save. 

Offensively, the Panthers had a 2-0 deficit before their first at-bat, but jumped quickly on the Cardinals' starting pitcher. FIU scored three runs before Louisville registered an out, two courtesy of a Byrd double, and chased the Cardinals' starter. 

With the score 3-2 in FIU's favor after one, both teams were held scoreless until the fifth when Louisville tied the score with an RBI double. Villazon stranded a runner on third with a key strikeout to end the Cardinals' rally, opening the door for FIU's momentum-shifting sixth inning. 

With one out in the sixth, Sammy Zelenka and Byrd each singled to start the Panther rally. After a second FIU out, Paige Miller singled to keep the inning alive before Isabella Perez was walked with the bases loaded to give FIU a 4-3 lead. Janelle Martinez then plated two more runs courtesy of a throwing error from the shortstop to put the Panthers up two. Kendall Catherwood cemented the four-run inning with a double to left center, staking FIU to a 7-3 advantage, needing just three outs to finish off the win. 

Villazon allowed two base runners, causing the Panthers to turn to Grigorie for the final three outs. The junior pitcher struck out the first batter she faced, but Louisville then pushed across two runs to cut the deficit to 7-5 on the next at-bat. FIU made two outstanding defensive plays, however, to preserve the victory and its unblemished record. 

UP NEXT
The Panthers take on Stony Brook and Lehigh tomorrow, Saturday, Feb. 7 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively. 

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