DeLand, Fla. ? The Stetson softball team (7-6) suffered its second and third straight losses as well as its first sweep in a traditional doubleheader (same opponent) at Patricia Wilson Field since April 24, 2003, falling 3-0 and 9-3 to FIU Wednesday evening. Freshman shortstop Chelsey Trotto (Lantana, Fla.) had three hits in the doubleheader, including her third double of the year, and recorded her first career stolen base.
FIU pitcher Kasey Barrett shut the Hatters out on two hits with seven strikeouts in the opener; she walked four but struck out Trotto with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to preserve the win. The Golden Panthers scored all their runs in the first inning when center fielder Kim Rodriguez hit an RBI double and catcher Jessica Landau followed with an RBI single. A third run scored on the Landau hit due to an error, a theme that would plague Stetson throughout the night. The normally defensively stout Hatters committed a shocking six errors in the two losses.
Senior pitcher Erica Demers (Miami, Fla.) took another tough loss, giving up just one earned run in seven innings, walking one and striking out three. Demers is 4-2 on the season with a 0.48 ERA. Barrett improved to 2-1.
FIU came out hot in the nightcap as well with a run in the first and two in the second to take a 3-0 lead it would not surrender. Rodriguez, the 2009 Sun Belt Conference Preseason Player of the Year, went two for four with three RBI and a triple and ex-Hatter Carolina Rojas drilled a two-run home run in her return to Patricia Wilson Field as FIU went on to win 9-3. Senior first baseman Andrea Migliori (Winter Garden, Fla.) and junior center fielder Amy Joyce (Lake Mary, Fla.) had RBI singles for Stetson, which had not been swept in a doubleheader at home since USF did it nearly six years ago.
The Hatters are off this weekend and return to action at 5 p.m. next Wednesday when they host Centenary for a single game. Centenary will join Kentucky and Maryland as the visiting field for the Hatter Classic next weekend.
