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Sunday, May 4, 2003
FIU sweeps MT; enters SBC
Championship as No. 2 seed
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Florida International softball team ended the regular season
with a bang, sweeping a Sun Belt Conference doubleheader with
Middle Tennessee (3-5, 2-0) on Sunday afternoon en route to giving
the Golden Panthers (35-23, 11-3) their best league record in
the program's six-year history.
Nicole Dubovik continued her hot streak, batting 3-for-6 with
a triple and two RBI on Sunday. The FIU pitching staff did not
allow a earned run all day as Kendra Laminack fanned eight batters
in six innings of action and Nicole Barrett (4-6) and Amanda
Nealer (20-7) each picked up victories. Nealer became only the
second Golden Panther to win 20 games in a season and will go
after the school's single-season record of 21 at next week's
championship.
FIU finished second in the SBC behind Louisiana-Lafayette
and will be the No. 2 seed in the Sun Belt Conference Championship
in Bowling Green, Ky., May 8-10. The Golden Panthers will face
the No. 3 seeded Lady Raiders in first round action on Thursday.
The game is currently slated to begin at Noon EST.
GAME ONE
Marleah Stapf's sacrifice fly in the sixth scored Jennifer Owens
from third and lifted the Golden Panthers to a 3-2 victory over
Middle Tennessee.
FIU got an early 1-0 lead in the second as Lindsay Tippings
hit a sacrifice fly to center field, brought Kristen Perry home
from third.
Middle mounted a comeback in the fifth. With two outs, Jennifer
Dorais reached on an error by shortstop Stephanie Wolter. Following
a sacrifice bunt by Katie Tompkins, Erica Buhl singled off FIU
reliever Nicole Barrett to bring home Brandy Davis and Dorais.
The Golden Panthers were not finished however, as FIU rallied
in the next inning. MT ace Stayc Preator entered the game and
plunked Nicole Dubovik to put the center fielder on first. Jennifer
owens then singled and advanced Dubovik to second. Cindy Turek
then advanced Dubovik and Owens with a sacrifce bunt. Kristen
Perry followed that with a single to score Dubovik, setting the
stage for Stapf's heroics.
FIU starter Kendra Laminack struck out five batters in four
innings. Barrett (4-6) earned the win, striking out two batters
and allowing only three hits. Preator (22-7) suffered the loss
while the Dubovik's run ended her run of 59.2 innings of consecutive
scoreless innings.
GAME TWO
Amanda Nealer and Kendra Laminack tossed a three-hitter as FIU
blanked the Lady Raiders, 5-0.
Nicole Dubovik opened up the scoring in the third when when
she tripled off MT starter Stayc Preator to bring Meagan Dontrich
home. Jennifer Owens then doubled off Preator to score Dubovik.
The Golden Panthers added to the lead in the fifth as as throwing
error by MT shortstop Jennifer Dorais allowed Stephanie Wolter
to score from first and batter Nicole Dubovik to advance to third.
Owens then flew out to center field to bring Dubovik across home
plate.
FIU tacked on another run in the seventh as Dubovik singled
to score Dontrich from third.
Nealer (20-7) threw a no-hitter into the fifth before giving
up a single to Dorais. Following that hit, Laminack entered the
contest and fanned three batters in the final two innings. |