MIAMI – The UTSA softball team swept Saturday's doubleheader against Conference USA foe FIU, defeating the Panthers 3-2 in game one and 2-0 in game two on Saturday at Felsberg Field at FIU Stadium. It was the conference opener for both squads.
The two victories boost the Roadrunners' record to 12-9 overall and 2-0 in conference play while the Panthers fall to 13-14 including a 0-2 mark in C-USA.
Game 1: UTSA 3, FIU 2
Both sides opted to pitch their aces in the circle right off the bat today as senior Lizzy Fox got the nod for UTSA and sophomore Shannon Saile was handed the lost for FIU. Saile paced the game with 11 strikeouts, but Fox was extremely effective en route to keeping her pitch count to 86.
Outfielders Bailee Baldwin and Celeste Loughman accounted for all of UTSA hits while Baldwin and freshman Ashlynn Walls each recorded an RBI.
FIU scored the game's first run during the second inning on double down the left field line to take an early 1-0 lead.
The Roadrunners responded in the fifth frame as UTSA tied the game on Walls sac-fly hit to deep left field, scoring Abigail Haston, who reached first on a walk.
In the seventh, Baldwin put the Roadrunners up 2-1 on her first triple of the season to plate Loughman from second.
Walls added a second UTSA run due a Panther fielding error one pitch-count later.
FIU got within one run in the bottom of the seventh with a long ball from Kasandra Castle. UTSA halted the Panthers' momentum and kept its lead by retiring the next three batters.
Game 2: UTSA 2, FIU 0
The Roadrunners proved to be more in control in the second game of the day, limiting the Panthers to five hits and zero runs.
UTSA got on the board early with a double from sophomore Rylee Rodriguez, while a single up the middle from freshman Victoria Villarreal extended the Roadrunners' lead to 2-0.
That was the extent of the scoring for both teams, as UTSA kept FIU from making it beyond second base for the remainder of the game.
Freshman Madison Nelson earned the win for UTSA in the circle, yielding only five hits. FIU's Allison Muraskin took the loss, going seven innings, allowing two runs on five hits.
Up Next
UTSA will look to sweep FIU on Sunday in the series finale at 12 p.m. CT.
