MADEIRA BEACH, Fla. – The Wichita State softball team lost a pair of games, 6-5 to Florida International, and 8-0 (5) to Harvard during the first of two doubleheaders at the Madeira Beach Invitational inside the Madeira Beach Sports Complex. With the pair of losses, Wichita State drops to 6-5.

Game 1—FIU 6, Wichita State 5

Katie Malone (2-1) took her first loss of the season. She pitched a complete game (six innings) and allowed six runs (all earned) on nine hits, issued one walk and struck out five.

Corrine Jenkins (6-3) picked up the win for FIU. She pitched all seven innings and allowed five runs (all earned) on five hits, walked one and struck out three.

Melanie Jaegers hit her first two home runs of the year against FIU, tying a school record for the most home runs hit in a single game. She also had two runs scored due to her two home runs.

Stephanie Texeria went 2-3 with a three-run home run, three RBI and a run scored.

Wichita State used a Jaegers solo home run in the top of the first to take a quick 1-0 lead over the Panthers.

Williams had a RBI-single up the middle during the top of the third, scoring Layne Greenlee from third to push the Shocker lead to 2-0.

In the bottom of the third, FIU had runners on first (Rebecca Sanchez) and third (Aleim Lopez) with one out. Kelli Spring fielded a grounder from Ashley Leon and threw it to Jaegers in time to get Lopez out at home, which was the second out of the inning. One batter later, Stephanie Texeria hit a three-run homer to give the Panthers their first lead of the game at 3-2 through three innings.

The Shockers tied the game at three apiece during the top of the fourth after Rebekah Sanchez overran a Liz Broyles fly ball to left that allowed Spring to score from second.

A Jaegers sacrifice bunt put Johnson and Williams on third and second, respectively, with one out in the top of the fifth. Moments later, a passed ball allowed Johnson to score and provide the Shockers with their second lead of the game at 4-3 through the top half of the fifth inning.

FIU scored three in the bottom of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead after six innings.

During the bottom of the sixth with Krys Garcia at the plate and Marisa McGregor on at second, a foul ball was hit to the first base side, but was out of reach of Macklin Hitz. One pitch later, Garcia singled over Liz Broyles' head, scoring McGregor and tying the game at four.

Three batters later and with two outs, Lopez hit a two-RBI double over Greenlee's head, scoring Grossman and Garcia to gain their second lead of the game at 6-4 through six innings.

During the top of the seventh and with two outs, Jaegers hit her second home run of the game to cut the Panthers lead in half and the Shocker deficit to 6-5. Fortner walked with a full count, forcing herself to be the tying run with Hitz at the plate. A grounder to Leon at second ended the game and gave the Panthers the 6-5 win.

Game 2—Harvard 8, Wichita State 0 (5)

Jenni Brooks (2-3) took the loss for Wichita State. She pitched three innings and gave up five runs (all earned) on seven hits, with a walk and two strikeouts.

Laura Riccardone (1-0) picked up Harvard's first win of the season. She pitched all five innings, throwing a two-hit shutout while walking one and striking out six. She also went 1-3 with two RBI.

Brittany Fortner and Cacy Williams got the only two hits for the Shockers.

Harvard scored one in the top of the first inning with a RBI-single by Haley Davis, scoring Katherine Lantz. This gave the Crimson a 1-0 lead after the top of the first.

The Crimson added another in the top of the second when Callaway hit a solo home run to left, extending their lead to 2-0 after the top half of the second.

Harvard added six in the top of the fourth to extend their lead to 8-0 over the Shockers. Ricciardone hit a two-RBI double, scoring Davis and Emily Guesse with no outs that extended their lead to 4-0. With one out, Dalla Hogan scored on a Kelsey Sterneker wild pitch with Katherine Applebe up to bat. While Andrea Del Conte up to bat and with two outs, another wild pitch put the Crimson up 6-0.

Kaplan hit a two-run home run to push the Crimson's lead to 8-0 after the top of the fourth, which was the final score after five innings.

The Shockers continue play in the EMU Madeira Beach Classic on Saturday when they face Villanova at 10 a.m. and UAB at 12:30 p.m.

-WICHITA STATE-