DELAND, Fla. - The Stetson University softball team got a three-run home run from sophomore Juls Schumacher in the third, but an eight-run fourth frame for the Florida International Panthers propelled them to an 8-5 decision Friday evening in the final game of the first day of the Stetson Invitational at Patricia Wilson Field.

Schumacher's three-RBI effort matches her season and career high (Feb. 11, vs. Georgia State), while senior Danielle Diaz led Stetson with a three-hit day and scoring once. Juniors Brianna Clary and Marissa Baxter each added two hits and scored a run each in the loss.

Baxter (1-1) also started on the mound and suffered the loss for Stetson (9-9). Sophomore Lauren Hobbs rebounded from her game one struggles by tossing 3.2 scoreless innings out of the pen and striking out two.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Hatters put runs on the scoreboard first, starting the scoring in the third inning. Stetson scored three times, all of them coming across on a three-run homer off the bat of Schumacher.

The Hatters lost the lead they built in the third, but got back on the board in the fifth trailing 8-3. Clary came across to score the lone run of the inning for Stetson, which brought the score to 8-4 in favor of the Panthers.

Stetson held the Panthers off the scoreboard before narrowing the gap to 8-5 in the sixth. The Hatters scored once on an RBI single off the bat of sophomore Jordyn Stanfill. The Hatters were unable to get any closer, as neither team scored again in the ballgame.

UP NEXT

The Hatters will face the same two opponents on Saturday in Day 2 of the invitational - FIU at 3 p.m. and USC Upstate at 5 p.m. The day begins with Bethune-Cookman facing both squads - USC Upstate at 10 am and FIU and Noon.

This story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.