MIAMI - Senior Whitney West reached base all four times she went to the plate and junior Kayla Gloady recorded two hits in LIU Brooklyn softball's 9-2 loss to FIU on Sunday. The Blackbirds finished their season-opening weekend with a 3-2 record, their best showing since the 2008 season. 

The Panthers jumped out to a 6-0 lead through the first three innings before the Blackbirds mounted their comeback attempt. Senior Celinna Cosio began the top of the fourth with a single, moved to second on a groundout then came around to score on a run-scoring base hit from senior Ariana Lopez with one out. Lopez advanced to second on the throw, but was erased on a double play to end the inning.

In the fourth, the Blackbirds moved closer as Gloady doubled with one out. A wild pitch allowed the Temecula, Calif. product to third before West walked to put runners on the corners. An error on FIU allowed Gloady to come around to score and bring LIU to within 6-2. 

Both teams went down in order over the following two half-innings of play before three more runs by FIU put the game out of reach. The Blackbirds were able to put a pair on in the top of the seventh inning, but Corinne Jenkins was able to close the contest and improve the home team to 3-1 on the year.

LIU Brooklyn returns to action on Friday, Feb. 19 at the Four Points by Sheraton Invitational. The Blackbirds will take on Southern Illinois, Marshall, Saint Louis and the host school Florida Gulf Coast over the three-day event in Fort Myers, Fla.