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Friday, February 7, 2003
Golden Panthers drop two
in opening round of Schlotzsky's/FIU Invitational
 IU
(2-5) opened play at the Schlotzsky's/FIU Invitational at University
Park by dropping games against nationally-ranked opposition--
losing the opener to No. 22 Alabama, 11-4, then falling in the
nightcap to No. 16 Ohio State, 4-1.
Against the Crimson Tide (5-2), FIU scored three times in
the fifth inning to take a short-lived 4-2 lead. Marleah Stapf,
who homered in the first inning, drove home her second run of
the game with an RBI single, then Cindy Turek followed
her with a two-run single.
But Alabama sent eight to the plate in the fifth, scoring
four unearned runs with the help of a pair of FIU errors, then
batted around in the sixth, plating another five runs to win
going away.
Nicole Barrett (0-2), who replaced starting pitcher
Kendra Laminack in the fifth inning, took the loss.
Against Ohio State (1-1), Turek's RBI single in the bottom
of the first inning tied the game, 1-1, but the Buckeyes added
a pair of runs in the second and an insurance run in the fourth.
Defense again betrayed the Golden Panthers as four errors
led to three unearned runs and made a losing pitcher of starter
Amanda Nealer (2-1) who gave up just four hits and one
earned run in five innings of work.
Also competing in the tournament is Florida Atlantic who split
a pair of games, losing 2-0 to Alabama, before coming from behind
to defeat Ohio State, 3-2.
The Schlotzsky's/FIU Invitational continues Saturday with
Ohio State taking on Alabama at 11 a.m., followed by FIU against
FAU at 1:30 p.m. Two seeded games will be played at 4 and 6:30
p.m. with consolation and championship games played Sunday. |