Softball drops final game of FIU series

MIAMI, Fla. - Middle Tennessee dropped the final game of a Sun Belt Conference series with FIU, 11-2 (five innings), on Sunday.

The Blue Raiders (2-24, 1-4 SBC) managed just five hits, while FIU (21-13, 4-1 SBC) worked nine walks in the contest.

Nina Dever was 1-for-1 with a walk in the game, while Kristi Marquez, Kayla Toney and Laura Dukes finished 1-for-2.

Samantha Nieves had her seven-game hitting streak snapped in the loss.

Jordyn Fisherback, threw 3.0 innings and allowed six runs, though just three were earned, dropped to 2-13 on the season.  Shelby Stinnett entered the game in the second, but after allowing two runs and not recording an out, Fisherback re-entered.  Ashley Stassin entered the game in the fourth, and allowed FIU's final three runs in 1.0 innings pitched.

The Blue Raiders took a 2-0 lead in the second using two hits and an FIU error.  Dever led off the inning with a single and moved to second after LaRi Mitchell reached safely on a bunt single.  

With one out, Mitchell and Dever put in motion a double-steal, and after an error by Kayla Burri, Dever scored and Mitchell took third.  During the next at-bat, Mitchell scored on a wild pitch.

FIU, however, took over in its half of the second, scoring seven runs and taking the lead for good.  In the bottom of the fourth, the Panthers tacked on another four runs, putting the game out of reach for MT.

The Blue Raiders return to Murfreesboro this week for a three-game home stand with Florida Atlantic on March 19-20.  

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