GULF SHORES, Ala. – The FGCU Softball team (1-3) took on No. 3 Alabama (4-0) and Houston (2-3) on the second day of play at the Sand Dollar Classic Saturday. The Eagles dropped both games to the two talented squads. No. 3 Alabama lost in the College World Series to the Champion Florida Gators while Houston lost in the regional round of the tournament last year.
 
"We really did not play softball in any facet of the game today," said head coach David Deiros. "Our coaches and players know that and we will do a better job against Southern Miss. tomorrow."
 
No. 3 Alabama's offense was relentless on Saturday afternoon as they scored in every inning except the first to end the game with a total of 13 runs. Houston had its pedal to the metal as well as they put an 11 spot on the board in game two.
 
GAME ONE
The Green and Blue fell to No. 3 Alabama by a score of 13-1 in five innings to start day two of the Sand Dollar Classic. The Eagles sent Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) to the circle in game one where she pitched five innings, gave up 12 runs, 10 earned runs, 11 hits and walked seven batters in five innings. Wade is now 0-1 on the season with one save. Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley High School) also made a short appearance in the game as she faced one batter and gave up one earned run on a walk.
 
FGCU's only run of the game came in the bottom of the fourth when Alexis Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) was robbed of a homer, but drove in Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) and advanced Kelsey Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) to third on the sacrifice fly.
 
Alexis Osorio was the winning pitcher for the Crimson Tide as she improved her record to 3-0 on the young season.  She allowed three hits, one earned run and struck out eight in five innings.
 
GAME TWO
FGCU was unable to string together many hits against the Cougars of Houston and fell by an 11-1 count.
 
Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep High School) started the second game against Houston after coming in as a reliever against McNeese State on day one of the tournament. Draney allowed 12 hits, 11 earned runs, struck out five and walked five batters over six innings.
 
The Eagles' only run during the game came in fifth inning when Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian High School) hit a sacrifice foul out that scored Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee High School) and advanced Michaela Hynes (Windermere, Fla./West Orange High School) to third base.
 
The winning pitcher for Houston was Summer Groholski who improved her record to 1-1 after giving up two hits, one earned run and struck out seven over six innings.
 
The Green and Blue will play their last game of the 2015 Sand Dollar Classic on Sunday, Feb 8 when they take on Southern Miss. at 1 p.m.
 
THE SAND DOLLAR CLASSIC
The 2015 NCAA Sand Dollar Classic features 12 NCAA Division I softball programs at the Gulf Shores SportPlex Feb. 5 through 8.  Some of the top college teams and players in the country will be competing against each other throughout the four-day event.  The tournament is hosted by The Fieldhouse, an indoor baseball and softball training facility located in Daphne, Ala., in conjunction with the City of Gulf Shores and the Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Sports Commission.
 
THE SCHEDULE
 
Friday, Feb. 6
McNeese State: 6 FGCU: 4             8 INN.
FGCU: 6 Houston Baptist: 4
 
Saturday, Feb. 7
#3 Alabama: 13 FGCU: 1
Houston: 11 FGCU: 1
 
Sunday, Feb. 8
1 p.m. Southern Mississippi vs. FGCU
 
SCORES AROUND THE SAND DOLLAR CLASSIC
Lamar: 9 Jackson State: 2
FIU: 8 Houston: 1
Eastern Kentucky: 1 Jackson State: 0
FIU: 4 Lamar: 3
Southern Miss: 7 Jackson State: 4
McNeese State: 3, FIU: 2
Alabama: 8 Eastern Kentucky: 0
Houston: 4 Southern Miss: 1
South Alabama: 8 Liberty: 0
Alabama: 6 Houston: 2
Eastern Kentucky: 4 Houston Baptist: 2
FIU: 4 Eastern Kentucky: 1
Jackson State: 4 Houston: 3
McNeese State: 2 Southern Miss: 0
Lamar: 10 Liberty: 6
Southern Miss: 5 Lamar: 2
Liberty: 11 Houston Baptist: 3
Eastern Kentucky: 1 South Alabama: 0
South Alabama: 5 McNeese State: 1
Alabama: 11 FIU: 2
Jackson State: 7 Houston Baptist: 4
 
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 (490-211-3). 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.