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FAU beats FIU in regular-season finale

Brandies scores the game-winner as Owls down Panthers.

Originally published on 5/2/2009

BOCA RATON – Becky Brandies broke a scoreless tie when she touched home plate in the bottom of the ninth giving Florida Atlantic a 2-1 victory over Florida International in the Owls final game of the regular season.

Brandies went 3-for-4 and scored both runs for FAU (27-28, 10-13 Sun Belt)., the winning one coming after an errant throw to first from FIU shortstop Desiree Fink.

FAU drew first blood in the bottom of the fifth inning when Brittany Walker doubled in Brandies to give FAU a 1-0. The Golden Panthers immediately responded as Kim Rodriguez singled up the middle, scoring Katie Bell and tying the game at one in the sixth.

The game went to extra innings still tied at one. FIU had the bases loaded with one out in the top of the ninth, but Kat Stauffer, got Jasmine Parra to ground into a double play to end the threat.

Brandies led off the bottom of the ninth inning with a single to left before stealing second. After a Golden Panther pitching change and a strikeout, Walker hit the ground ball to short that Fink threw away.

Stauffer threw her second complete game in a row, allowing just one run and striking out seven to secure the win.

“It’s a good win going into the tournament,” Brandies said. “We had a bad last two games but we are picking it up now. It’s a good time to be peaking.”

The Owls will move on to the Sun Belt Conference Tournament, where they will be the number seven seed. They will face Troy in the second game of the day on Wednesday, the game is scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. eastern start.