JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (16-15, 1-2 Atlantic Sun Conference) dropped the rubber match against North Florida (18-11, 2-1 Atlantic Sun Conference) by a 4-1 score on Sunday afternoon.

"Today was a disappointing end to the series," said head coach David Deiros.  "We did not come up with the big plays and the big hits when we needed them and UNF did. That is why they won the rubber match."

Junior Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley HS) took the circle for the Green and Blue and pitched four innings and started the fifth before senior Shelby Morgan (High Springs, Fla./Sante Fe HS) came in for a two-inning relief appearance. Dobson allowed seven hits, four earned runs, walked one and struck out two. As a reliever, Morgan allowed one hit, walked two and struck out one.

The Eagles' only run of the game came in the top third when freshman Michaela Hynes (Windermere, Fla./West Orange High School) scored on an error by the second baseman. Hynes reached base earlier in the inning with a single to right before freshman Kasandra Castle (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central HS) drove the ball into right for a double that advanced Hynes to third.

The Green and Blue's only other hit of the day came in the fifth inning when freshman Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) singled to the left side with two outs.

The Ospreys scored four runs during the game with the major damage coming in the fifth inning when they scored three runs off of four hits and an error.

After 31 games, Huff leads the Eagles with a batting average of .357 with 25 hits in 70 at bats. Senior Kelsey Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) has a team-high 20 RBI while freshman Chandler Middlebrook (Auburndale, Fla./Auburndale HS) adds the power with three homeruns. Dobson leads the pitching staff with a 7-3 record, a 2.71 ERA while adding 50 strikeouts.

The Eagles will return to Fort Myers for a midweek doubleheader with Towson University.  The doubleheader is slated to begin at 4 p.m. and will be a National Fast Pitch Coaches Association StriKeOut Cancer PINKOUT game. The Eagles are encouraging all fans to wear pink and will be accepting donations for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

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 is in 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  .690 (505-226-3). 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.