MIAMI - Karlee Sparacino went deep for her first home run of the 2020 season, but that was all the Cal softball offense could produce as the Golden Bears fell in the season opener to Florida International, 6-1, at the Felsberg Invitational hosted by FIU. 

After two scoreless innings to start the game, the Panthers put together a four-run third inning. A two-run double started the scoring before a passed ball and an RBI single gave FIU a commanding 4-0 lead.

Cal posted its first hit of the season in the fourth inning when freshman D'Asha Saiki notched her first collegiate hit in her first game to help the Bears try to swing the momentum. 

Sparacino got the Cal bench excited in the top of the 5th when she took FIU's Allison Muraskin deep to cut the Panther's lead down to three. 

That was as close as Cal would get, though, as FIU added insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth and sixth to maintain control of the game. 

Amani Bradley and Lauren Espalin also contributed hits for the Bears. 

Cal will play twice on Friday starting at 6:30 am PT against Michigan State and then at 11:30 am PT against Penn State. The Bears were originally supposed to play Syracuse on Saturday, but the Orange couldn't fly to Florida due to snowy weather.