MIAMI – After losing the first game 7-1, the Golden Panther softball team exploded with eight extra base hits including three home runs in a 6-3 win over Troy in game two on Saturday at University Park.

Ashley McClain and Jessica Landau hit their first home runs of the season and Kim Rodriguez hit her fourth as FIU (17-18, 1-4 SBC) picked up their first conference win of the year.

FIU will go for the series win on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Troy 7 – FIU 1 | Box Score

In the first game of a Saturday afternoon doubleheader, the FIU Golden Panthers (16-18, 0-4 SBC) were defeated 7-1 by the Troy Trojans (24-6, 7-0 SBC) at University Park. Sophomore pitcher Ashlyn Williams tossed a one-hit gem, striking out 14 Golden Panthers—six of her first seven outs were strikeouts.

To start the game, centerfielder Kim Rodriguez, even after getting a pair of sunglasses from the FIU dugout, lost the leadoff hitter’s fly ball in the sun and set the tone for an unfortunate first inning. On the play, Hillary Hughes cruised safely into second with a leadoff double. After a quick out, FIU hurler Kasey Barrett walked the next batter setting up cleanup hitter Hayden Gann, who slapped an RBI single up the middle that scored the game’s first run. An errant Rodriguez throw allowed another run on the play as Heidi Johnson crossed the plate for the Trojans. Ashley Adkins then followed with her own RBI single extending the lead to 3-0 after the first frame.

Barrett settled into a rhythm in the second inning, but Troy struck again in the third with a Tasha Elmore sacrifice fly to left field, inflating the lead to 4-0.

The FIU bats remained quiet until the fourth when FIU Freshman Jenny Welch looped an RBI single into left field for FIU’s lone hit.  It scored Desiree Fink, who walked and stole two bases making the score 4-1 through four innings.

However, Troy quickly regained that run in the fifth when Heidi Johnson poked a single to left field scoring Kala Moore. Once again Barrett found danger with the bases loaded and only one out. Yet, she remained calm and induced a groundout and pop out to end the inning. Unfortunately, Barrett would get no more help from the FIU offense and Troy would tack on two insurance runs in the seventh inning.

Although the Trojans scored seven runs on 13 hits, the game was completely controlled by Troy’s starting pitcher. Williams dominated the FIU lineup from top to bottom, throwing a complete game allowing only one hit.  She improves her record to 16-5 for the season. FIU starter Barrett gave up a season-high 13 hits and fell to 8-7 on the season.

FIU 6 – Troy 3 | Box Score

In the second game, FIU (16-18, 1-4 SBC) hit three home runs and made it through two rain delays to capture their first conference victory of the season in a 6-3 win over Troy (24-7, 7-1 SBC)  on Saturday.

Freshman Ashley McClain had a big day at the plate going 3-for-3 hitting two doubles and a home run.  Senior Jessica Landau fell a double short of the cycle, also going 3-for-3 while hitting an inside-the-park home run.  Senior Kim Rodriguez homered and drove in two runs as FIU pounded out 10 hits.

Freshman Jennifer Gniadek (7-7) pitched her fifth complete game of the season while striking out eight.  Allison Moore (8-2) pitched 3.2 innings and got the loss for the Trojans.

Similar to the first game of the doubleheader, Hayden Gann drove in the game’s first run for the Trojans, scorching a double to the left field fence to take a 1-0 lead in the first inning. 

The FIU offense was effective early, loading the bases with two outs after freshman Ashley McClain doubled to the fence and both junior Lauren Spiers and freshman Jenny Welch walked, but FIU was unable to capitalize and stranded three runners.

In the second frame, senior Jessica Landau hit an uncharacteristic inside-the-park home run.  A ball batted over the head of Troy’s centerfielder who hit the wall and injured herself allowing Landau to score and tie the game 1-1. Later in the inning, with one away and the bases loaded, Rodriguez hit what appeared was going to be a grand slam, but Heidi Johnson robbed her of the round tripper, pulling the ball back into the ball park. Sophomore Iriseldis Soberon was able to tag-up from third base crediting Rodriguez with the sacrifice fly and giving FIU a 2-1 lead. 

In the fourth inning, FIU got its second home run of the game. McClain crushed her first career FIU home run convincingly over the centerfield wall. Two batters later Rodriguez crushed a home run, her fourth of the season and FIU’s third bomb of the game, giving the Golden Panthers a 4-1 lead.  Senior Katie Bell kept the offense rolling with a double to center scoring Spiers. Landau followed with a single that found its way through the infield to score Bell, giving FIU a 6-1 lead.

After the second rain delay, the offensive production slowed down. Neither team was able to produce a run in the fifth or sixth inning, FIU and Troy team pitchers combined for eight strikeouts during those innings. 

After a quick out to start the seventh, Troy’s next four batters reached base and Gann knocked in Troy’s second run of the game.  Troy scored again on a fielder’s choice that senior Desiree Fink fielded getting the lead runner at second base and just missing on a game-ending double play. Gniadek struck out the following batter giving FIU the win and a split for the day.