FORT MYERS, Fla. – Playing on its home field for the first time this season at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational, the FGCU softball team (4-7) battled in a nine-inning contest against Purdue (6-2), before ultimately falling to the Boilermakers by a 10-2 count Friday night.

FGCU tied the game in the fifth inning and had opportunities to win in the seventh and eighth. However, the Boilermakers broke the game open in the top of the ninth by scoring nine runs on seven hits and an error to take a 10-1 lead in the game.

"We had chances in the seventh and eighth," said head coach David Deiros. "We cannot give those chances up in games like this. At the end of the day, I am proud of how our kids battled against a tough opponent in Purdue."

Junior Mackensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) and freshman Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer High School) each had two hits for FGCU, with Huff scoring both runs for the Eagles.

Senior Shelby Morgan (High Springs, Fla./Sante Fe HS) took to the circle for her fourth start of the season. Morgan got the Eagles into extra innings, pitching seven innings, allowing six hits, one earned run and struck out two. With the game tied at one in the top of the eighth, freshman Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep High School) entered the game. Draney allowed seven hits, nine runs, seven earned runs, walked three and struck out one in two innings of work.

After Purdue took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, Huff got the offense going for the Eagles when she reached base on a bunt single and then promptly stole second in the bottom of the fifth.  Kasandra Castle (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central High School) entered the game as a pinch hitter with two outs and drove the ball into right for an RBI single to tie the game at one all. The Green and Blue would load the bases with a walk and a single before Purdue got out of the jam.

The first extra inning saw both teams struggle to put the bat on the ball with neither team recording a hit.

The Green and Blue had a tall order to face in the bottom of the ninth and could only muster one run after an RBI double to right center off the bat of Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) with Huff scoring after being placed on second due to the international tie break rule.

Lilly Fecho won the game for Purdue pitching a complete game with 19 strikeouts, allowing two runs, one earned, four walks and eight hits.

The Eagles will continue play at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational Saturday, Feb. 21 when they host Bethune-Cookman at 10 a.m. and  Purdue at 12:15 p.m.

THE SCHEDULE
Friday, Feb. 13
Oakland: 8 Stony Brook: 1
Purdue: 4 Oakland: 2
Stony Brook: 3 Bethune-Cookman 2 (8 inn.)
Purdue: 10 FGCU: 2 (9 inn.)

Saturday, Feb 14
10 a.m. Bethune-Cookman vs. FGCU
12:15 p.m. Purdue vs. FGCU
2:30 p.m. Bethune-Cookman vs. Oakland
4:45 p.m. Stony Brook vs. Oakland
7 p.m. Stony Brook vs. Oakland

Sunday, Feb 15
9 a.m.  Bethune-Cookman vs. Purdue
11:15 a.m. Stony Brook vs. FGCU
1:30 p.m. Oakland vs. FGCU

For up-to-the minute information on the FGCU softball program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_Softball and Instagram at fgcusoftball and stay tuned at FGCUAthletics.com.

The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros enters his 13th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to 11 seasons with a winning record, eight campaigns with 35+ wins and a win percentage of .699 (489-211-3). The 2014 Eagles finished with a 33-26-1 and wins over SEC, Big 10, Big East, and ACC opponents.  FGCU finished their season with an RPI ranking in the top-100 for the 3rd consecutive season and the 5th time in their seven years at Division I. Deiros is a former head coach at the 1998 Florida State Runner-up Lely High School in Naples and is the founding head coach of the 1999 District Champion/2001 Regional Runner-up Gulf Coast High School in Naples.