Anthony Guivas / Staff Writer
sports@fiusm.com
The Panthers dropped three games out of four over the weekend in Boca Raton. The team combined to score seven runs in four games during the Strike Out Cancer Tournament, also known as the FAU Invitational.
FIU finished the FAU Invitational 1-3 and left with an even .500 record of 7-7.
TULSA 4, FIU 1
With FIU coming off the heels of a five-game winning streak, the Panthers hit a snag as to start out the Strike Out Cancer Tournament with a 4-1 loss against Tulsa on Feb. 24.
Right out of the gate the Panthers didn’t skip a beat as Ashley McClain hit a leadoff home run in the first, giving FIU a quick lead. That one run was all FIU could muster in the contest as Tulsa’s pitching kept the Panthers’ bats quiet.
Opportunities became more and more scarce for the Panthers. FIU had an opportunity in the third when they loaded up the bases with no out but could not cash in, stranding three runners on base that inning.
Hurricanes’ starter Lacey Middlebrooks got out of the jam with a fielder’s choice off the bat of Brie Rojas, AJ Woodward and Kayla Burri then subsequently striked out, taking out the air from FIU’s momentum. FIU recorded only four hits in the game. Mariah Dawson started the game and pitched five innings, giving up three runs and striking out two in a less than stellar performance.
Tulsa won the pitching battle and their offense was able to execute sporadically, scoring a pair in the fourth inning and one in the fifth and sixth respectively.
LOYOLA MARYMOUNT 3, FIU 0
The Panthers’ bats once again could not wake from their slumber as they only recorded four hits through seven innings against Loyola Marymount. The Lions shut the Panthers out 3-0 in the second game of the tournament on Feb. 24.
The only chance FIU had of making any noise came in the fourth inning when Brie Rojas advanced all the way to third base. And with two out, Jessy Alonso came to the plate but lined out, leaving Rojas stranded.
With the lack of run support, the pressure on FIU’s starter Jenn Gniadek was that much greater. Gniadek stood strong for four innings, giving up just a run on a double in the second inning, but was tagged for two more runs in the fifth inning and was replaced by McClain.
LMU’s pitching was spectacular as their starter Molly Medeiros kept the Panther bats off-balance, surrendering four hits and striking out two.
FIU now falls to an even .500, standing at 6-6 after starting out FAU Invitational at 6-4.
AUBURN 3, FIU 1
After dropping the first two games of the FAU Invitational, FIU’s losing streak would reach to three games as the Panthers dropped a 2-1 contest against No. 24 Auburn on Feb. 25.
For the third game in a row the Panthers’ bats were stifled, this time by Tigers Angel Bunner who allowed a total of three hits all of which came off the bat of Beth Peller.
The lone run for FIU came in the second inning when Peller laced a double to right center and then scored on an error by Auburn.
The second inning was FIU’s sole opportunity to score as Bunner kept the Panther bats quiet.
With just a one-run lead, FIU’s starter Jenn Gniadek spun a complete game but allowed two runs, which were more than enough for the Tigers to secure the win.
Auburn’s runs came both in the third and sixth respectively. In the third the Tigers’ Lauren Guzman singled home a run, which tied the game, and then ultimately in the sixth, a triple scored the decisive game-winning run.
So with FIU coming into the Invitational at 6-4 and on a five game winning streak, they have now fallen to a game under .500 at 6-7. FIU now looks to salvage what’s left of the invitational as they take on Florida A&M.
FIU 5, FAMU 1
After suffering a third loss in the FAU Invitational, the Panthers finished the tournament on a high note, beating Florida A&M 5-1 on Feb. 25.
For the third time in the invitational the Panthers got out to a quick lead but this time hung on and gave their pitching staff a much needed breather.
The Panthers opened up the scoring in first when Kayla Burri got on with a bunt single and then scored on an McClain single right after. And for the first time during that weekend, the offense continued to tack on more runs in the following inning when Jenny Welch drove in Beth Peller on a ground out.
FIU’s bats continued to warm up in the fourth inning when first baseman Shelby Graves delivered her first career home run in the fourth and added another RBI in the sixth on a squeeze play. And lastly Kelsey Grabiak scorched a pitch for a double, delivering the fifth run of the ballgame.
As the bats got going, their starter, Mariah Dawson pitched her best game of the year. The sophomore from Camas, Washington threw a complete game striking out 10 Rattlers. She also kept Florida A&M to just three hits.
FIU will now look to get over .500 again as they travel to Fullerton, California to start off the Cal S. Fullerton Tournament.
It won’t be an easy task for FIU as they will take on No. 3 California and host Cal State Fullerton on March 3.
About Post Author
