Tournament Information – FIU Panther Invitational
DATE:                         Friday, Feb. 17 – Sunday, Feb. 19
LOCATION:                Miami, Fla. / Felsberg Field at FIU Softball Stadium
LIVE STATS:               butlersports.com
LIVE VIDEO:               CUSATV (selected games)
 
Full Notes

The Butler softball team returns to Florida for the second weekend in a row, this time to participate in the Panther Invitational at Florida International. The Bulldogs (1-5) will play No. 23 Missouri, FIU, and Pitt, and will then play two more games, against two of the same teams, depending on initial results.

Butler (1-5) won its first game of the season, last weekend, when Ellie Boyer stole home in the bottom of the seventh inning against Marshall.

Bulldog Bits                                                        

• Kaylee Gross was named to the BIG EAST weekly awards honor roll after leading the Bullogs with a .417 batting average in six games over the opening weekend of play. She also stole three bases.
• Monique Hoosen's home run vs. Marshall was her first of the season and the 14th of her career, moving her into the 9th spot on Butler's all-time career list.
   
• No. 23 Missouri will be the first ranked opponent that the Bulldogs will face this season.
   
• Butler's 2023 schedule includes four teams that qualified for the 2022 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs lost to Minnesota last weekend and face Missouri this weekend. Also on the schedule are Miami (OH) (3/8), and Villanova (4/6-8). 

SCOUTING THE OPPONENTS
 
MISSOURI (3-2)        Series: Missouri leads, 2-0     Last game: 3/5/17- Missouri 8, Butler 0 (5)
2023 wins: No. 8 Northwestern, Fordham, and Prairie View A&M     
losses: No. 6 Texas and Louisville
Batting Leaders
Jenna Laird (.500) 9-for-18             
Vanessa Hollingsworth (.300) 3-for-10       
Julia Crenshaw (.278) 5-for 18
Pitching Leaders
Cierra Harrison (2-0) (0.00 ERA, 8 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 14 K)
Megan Schumacher (0-0) (2.63 ERA, 5.1 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
Laurin Krings (1-0) (2.71 ERA, 10.1 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K)

FIU (3-2)           Series: (teams have never met)           
2023 wins: Missouri-Kansas City (twice) and Georgia State                 
losses: No. 10 Clemson (twice)
Batting Leaders (as of Feb. 12)
Frankie Izard (.556) 5-for-9             
Alexis Ross (.529) 9-for-17               
Carmen Perez (.500) 7-for-14
Pitching Leaders (as of Feb. 12)
Brooke McNichols (3-0) (4.06 ERA, 10.1 IP, 17 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 3 K)
Sydney Birling (0-1) (4.59 ERA, 10.2 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 7 ER, 5 BB, 5 K)
Ella Whitney (0-1) (5.44 ERA, 9 IP, 12 H, 8 R, 7 ER, 2 BB, 2 K)

PITT (3-1)        Series: Pittsburg leads, 1-0     Last game: 3/1/14- Pitt 6, Butler 4
2023 wins: No. 21 Auburn, Fordham, and Prairie View A&M                                  
losses: Indiana
Batting Leaders
Sarah Seamans (.500) 6-for-12      
Rachael Fuerst (.500) 4-for-8         
Bailey Drapola (.444) 4-for-9          
Pitching Leaders
Abby Edwards (2-0) (3.52 ERA, 7.2 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K)
Cani Drogmuller (1-1) (7.43 ERA, 13.1 IP, 16 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 7 BB, 18 K)