Panthers Earn First CUSA Home Sweep Since 2023 Against UTEP

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MIAMI, FL – The wins keep piling on for FIU Softball. They opened up conference play against the UTEP Miners and outscored them by a football score of 24-7 over the weekend.

The sweep against UTEP gives the Panthers their first Conference USA home sweep since 2023 (May 5-7), when they achieved the same feat against the Miners. With a 22-5 record, FIU continues its most prolific start in program history.

Kendall Catherwood Comes Through with Walk-Off Hit

J’dah Girigorie started for the Panthers in the circle, having a perfect game with four outs left. She was electric until the sixth and seventh innings, when she gave up three runs. During the seventh, she was replaced by Megan Villazon, who was able to get the last three outs on defense.

The first two runs of the game came in the third after RBI singles from Leah Clark and Janelle Martinez.

Despite having a two-run lead for most of the game, the Panthers found themselves down 3-2 going into the final inning.

With the bases loaded and two outs, Martinez grounded out to shortstop to score Kally Meredith, tying the game at three. Afterwards, Kendall Catherwood stepped up to the plate and delivered the game-winning hit, scoring Clark.

K RAE SENDS US HOME 💥 pic.twitter.com/OH97B7JCGm

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 14, 2026

Meredith led the team with three hits, and Martinez drove in two runs. Martinez also made an incredible throw in the seventh, which prevented a UTEP run. She threw a missile to Isabella Perez, who tagged the runner out at the plate. Perez had FIU’s only extra-base hit with a double.

NELLY, WHAT A THROW‼️ pic.twitter.com/e3OFNUeXrN

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 14, 2026

Girigorie tossed 6.0 innings, allowing four hits and three runs while striking out three hitters. Villazon got credited with the win, improving to 6-0.

start off your Saturday with last night’s highlights 🎥 pic.twitter.com/JDUcudbcC5

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 14, 2026

Seven-Run Second Inning Decides the Game

The Panthers went on an offensive rampage in the second inning, scoring seven runs.

Perez kicked it off with a two-run single, making it 2-0. Then, FIU utilized its two-out offense the rest of the way. Clark made it 4-0 with her own two-run single. Kennedy Byrd ended the rally with a three-run home run, making it a 7-0 blowout early on.

ROO GOES DEEP TO EXTEND THE LEAD 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/neN10DaXCC

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 14, 2026

Byrd started the game and cruised her way through the game until the Miners scored three runs across the fourth and fifth innings.

Up just 7-3, the Panthers went back to their scoring ways, getting three runs back. Paige Miller recorded an RBI groundout in the fifth, and Martinez had a huge two-run single in the sixth.

Byrd surrendered earned runs and struck out four in 5.2 innings. Megan Kruger came in out of the bullpen and was able to get the last four outs. She tossed 1.1 innings on just nine pitches.

Meredith was perfect at the plate, going 3/3, while Martinez had a multi-hit game, with a pair of hits and an RBI. The Panthers totaled 11 hits, seven walks, and no strikeouts.

Janelle with a 2 RBI day 🤩 pic.twitter.com/V2nba75dQM

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 14, 2026

Janelle Martinez Caps It Off with a Walk-Off

In the second game of a doubleheader, FIU opened up its scoring in the third as Byrd and Martinez hit consecutive RBI singles to make it a 2-0 lead. Then in the fourth, the Panthers got back-to-back RBI singles once again, this time from Meredith and Clark, pushing the lead to 4-0.

Villazon got the ball to close off the weekend slate of games. She kept the Miners off the board for four innings until they scored twice in the fifth.

Up by two in the fifth, the Panthers took advantage and had another big inning at the dish, scoring six runs.

THAT BALL GOT OUTTA' HERE QUICK⏩ pic.twitter.com/cQRk2D0gVX

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 14, 2026

Janelle Martinez started the rally with a solo home run. Then, with the bases loaded, Jensen Luke walked to make it a 6-2 lead. Kally Meredith followed up with a huge RBI double, pushing the lead to 8-2. Byrd walked in a run, giving the Panthers a 9-2 edge.

Up to bat for the second time in the inning, Martinez came up big yet again with a walk-off single to end the game at 10-2.

NELLY finishes off a BIG DAY with the GW HIT 😤 pic.twitter.com/goz0YoLbRJ

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 14, 2026

Martinez went 3/4 in the game with three RBI and a run. Meredith plated in three as well and scored two runs. She continuously had the best performance of the series, hitting .900, and going down just once in 11 at-bats. Kaleena Downing and Grace Helbling each had hits as well.

FIU totaled 10 hits, five walks, and just three strikeouts. Villazon got her record up to 7-0 following five innings of work and two punchouts, surrendering two runs on six hits.

ALL the highlights from a Saturday DH sweep 🎥 pic.twitter.com/eN0U4VT50h

— FIU Softball (@FIUSoftball) March 16, 2026

On Deck

FIU will host #22 UCF for one game in non-conference play on Wednesday at 2 pm.

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