By: Malcolm Shields / Staff Writer
In a series where the average margin of victory was one run for the first two games played, the Golden Panthers were able to win the final game of the regular season matchup against Florida Atlantic 1-0 in Boca Raton on May 7.
With the victory, the Golden Panthers ended the regular season on a three game winning streak and secured the number four seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament, which begins on May 11.
The Golden Panthers had opportunities to score early on in the game, but poor base running by FIU ended those chances. Kayla Burri led off the game with a bunt single but was quickly picked off of first base by Owls starting pitcher Rose Gressley.
After Beth Peller reached base on a walk and advanced to second, she was also thrown out trying to advance to third base to end the inning. In the second inning with one out, Alex Casals went too far off of first base after a flyout and was doubled off of first base to end the inning.
“I thought we started off really slow,” coach Beth Torina said. “We made some mistakes base running. We looked like we weren’t all there in the beginning.”
Florida Atlantic (31-24, 15-9 SBC) threaten to score in the bottom of the second after Taylor Fawbush led off the inning with double down the left field line.
The Owls put runners at second and third with no outs after a single and stolen base by Carly Speerin, but FIU starting pitcher Ashley McClain forced Cari Curfman to flyout to center.
Fawbush attempted to score on the play but was thrown out at home by Peller to keep the game scoreless. McClain forced another flyout to end the inning.
“They helped me out big time,” McClain said of her defense. “They got me out of a lot of jams.”
The Golden Panthers (30-25, 14-10 SBC) began the fifth inning with runners on first and second after Alex Casals reached base on an error and Jenn Gniadek reached base after beating out the throw on her a sacrifice bunt attempt.
FIU advanced both runners to second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Jenny Welch. With one out in the inning, Rachael Slowik hit a sacrifice fly on an inside pitch that was deep enough to center to score Casals from third, to give the Golden Panthers a 1-0 lead.
“I was just trying to do my job,” Slowik said afterwards. “The pitch before I was a little out in front… so I tried to wait a little longer.”
McClain closed out the final two innings in the pitching circle for the Golden Panthers by retiring six of the final seven Owls batters she faced to improve her record to 7-4.
After the game, coach Torina gave her assessment on her team’s win.
“I thought we made really good adjustments,” Torina said. “I was really happy how we manufactured the run [in the fifth inning]. We haven’t done a great job of that; bunting, moving runners, sac fly… pretty much textbook softball. I thought that was great. I think it’s nice that they know they can do that.”
About Post Author
