McClain breaks RBI record in win over Beavers

(Jonathan Segal/The Beacon)

By Anthony Guivas/Staff Writer

sports@fiusm.com

FIU snapped a four-game losing streak where they were outscored 31-8 during the DeMarini Invitational in California. Th Panthers beat the Beavers 4-1 on the last game of the invitational on March 6.
During the win, Ashley McClain became the school’s new all-time RBI leader, knocking in her 137th run in her collegiate career. McClain surpassed Jennifer Owens, who previously owned the record for eight years. McClain carried the team offensively on the day bringing in two of the four runs of the game.
It was a scoreless contest for the first three innings until the fourth when McClain delivered her historic RBI on a double that scored Beth Peller.
FIU’s lead would be short lived, however, as Oregon State evened things up in the following inning on a single by Hannah Bouskarf.
Oregon State and FIU stayed knotted up until the seventh inning, where Rachel Slowik and Megan Horne got on with singles and later advanced on two steals. An error by the Beaver’s catcher allowed Slowik to score, giving FIU a 2-1 lead.
The Panthers would tack on three more insurance runs in the seventh and last inning. Peller and Kayal Burri got on base with a pair of fielder’s choices. The school’s all-time RBI leader, McClain, and Brie Rojas knocked back to back singles extending the lead to 4-1. McClain’s second RBI of the game was also her 138th of her career.

As much as McClain’s historic RBI stole the show offensively, starter Mariah Dawson stole the show on the mound as she threw her sixth complete game of the year. Dawson also allowed just two hits in the game.
The team now stands at 8-11 after finishing the DeMarini Invitational on a high note. The Panthers will look to start a win streak as they face DePaul and Delaware at home to start off the FIU invitational.