Late Offense Powers ECU Past FIU 6-4 To Conclude Felsberg Invitational

MIAMI, Fla. – Down to its final two innings, the ECU softball team scored six runs in that span to rally from a four-run deficit and record a 6-4 victory over host FIU to end the Felsberg Invitational at the FIU Softball Stadium. The Pirates defeated a Panther side that received votes in both national preseason top 25 polls.

Team Records: ECU (2-3) | FIU (2-4)

How It Happened: The Panthers broke open a scoreless game in the bottom of the fourth with four runs on four hits and a Pirate error. All four runs occurred with two outs and Tatyana Forbes provided a pair of those tallies with a two-run single. After a scoreless fifth, freshman outfielder Tyler King led off the top of the sixth with a triple and came around to score on the play when the FIU right fielder threw the ball out of play. Senior infielder Meredith Burroughs capped off the inning with a long home run to right field to leave the score at 4-2.

The Panthers threatened to add more in the bottom of the frame but, with one out and the bases loaded, junior outfielder Ashley Weingartz snagged a ball in right field for the second out and threw a dime to home plate to nail the lead runner from third and end the inning.

A RBI single by freshman infielder Ashleigh Inae pulled ECU closer at 4-3 in the top of the seventh and the Pirates were able to put runners at first and second before FIU recorded the second out of the frame. Senior infielder Karlie Smith then barreled up a pitch and launched it well over the left field fence to compete the comeback and give the Purple and Gold the final 6-4 advantage. Freshman RHP Whitney Sanford (1-2) earned her first collegiate win by throwing the final three innings without allowing a run and scattering three hits. Megan Kugelman (0-3) was tagged with the loss after surrendering the four runs in the seventh.

ECU Top Performers

Karlie Smith: 1-for-4, Run, 3 RBI

Tyler King: 1-for-3, Run, 3B

Whitney Sanford: 2.0 IP, 3 hits, 0 runs allowed

FIU Top Performers

Tatyana Forbes: 3-for-3, Run, 2 RBI

Jackie Schoff: 3-for-4, Run

Things To Note

ECU improved to 5-3 against FIU, avenging a 7-3 loss that occurred in the teams’ last meeting in 2016.

The Pirates are 1-0 in true road games in 2018.

ECU was 3-for-6 (.500) with runners in scoring position.

The Pirates did not allow a single Panther leadoff runner to reach base in the contest.