FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (13-12) took on Quinnipiac (1-7) of the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference and the University of Pittsburgh (19-2) of the Atlantic Coast Conference on Saturday at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Spring Break Classic. The Green and Blue beat the Bobcats of Quinnipiac in game one by a 5-0 score before falling to the Pittsburgh Panthers 7-1.

In game one, freshman Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) continued her hot streak at the plate going 1-3 with two runs batted in. Junior Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) also contributed a hit and two runs scored.

Freshman Kasandra Castle (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central HS) went 1-3 with the only RBI against Pittsburgh while McGuire added a hit and a run scored for the Eagles in the second game.

"Overall we had a good day," said head coach David Deiros. "With the exception of one inning in which we couldn't come up with a big play to turn things around for us, I thought we played some inspired softball. The good news is that we earned the No. 2 seed and qualified for Tournament Championship Game. I'm looking forward to seeing how we respond to a rematch with Pitt tomorrow."

GAME ONE
Sophomore Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) started in the circle and pitched four innings allowing zero runs, three hits, two walks and struck out three to improve her record to 2-4 on the season. Senior Shelby Morgan (High Springs, Fla./Sante Fe HS) picked up her first save on the season pitching three relief innings with zero earned runs, allowing two hits, striking out two and zero earned runs.

The Bobcats of Quinnipiac did not score a run in the game, and could only muster five hits.  

The Eagles scored three in the first inning to get things started against the Bobcats. Freshman Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) led off the game for FGCU as she reached first on a walk. On a 2-1 count, McAvoy singled through the left side which advanced Huff to third. Huff scored the first run of the game on a pass ball that also allowed McAvoy to reach second. Senior Kelsey Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) singled to right and advanced to second as McAvoy reached third and threatened to score which set the stage for McGuire. The freshman stepped up to the plate and hit a two-run single through the right side.

The Eagles added their fourth run of the game in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly to center off the bat of junior Alexis Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) which scored McAvoy from third who reached via a walk earlier in the inning. The Eagles fifth and final run of the game came in the sixth inning when freshman Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) scored on an error by the second basemen when sophomore Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) put the ball in play.

 GAME TWO
Freshman Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla.Gulliver Prep HS) started the game for the Eagles and pitched four innings. Draney allowed four hits, five runs, two earned and struck out four. Morgan made her second relief appearance on the day allowing five hits, two runs, one earned, walked one and struck out one over three innings.

After three scoreless innings Pittsburgh jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the fourth inning after four hits and an error on the Eagles shortstop. The Panthers of Pittsburgh ended the game with seven runs off of nine hits and two errors during the contest. 

FGCU's only run of the game came in the bottom of the seventh when Castle sent a two-out double to right center that scored McGuire after she reached on a single to lead off the inning.

The Eagles will play the Panthers of Pittsburgh once again at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon in the Tournament Championship game to conclude play at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Spring Break Classic.

THE SCHEDULE

Friday, Mar. 6
Pittsburgh 8 Quinnipiac 0
LIU Brooklyn 9 Quinnipiac 0
Pittsburgh 1 Boston University 0
FGCU 7 LIU Brooklyn 1
FGCU 6 Boston University 1

Saturday, Mar. 7
LIU Brooklyn 10 Boston University 7 10 INN.
Boston University 11 Quinnipiac 2
Pittsburgh 6 LIU Brooklyn 1
FGCU 5 Quinnipiac 0
Pittsburgh 7 FGCU 1

Sunday, Mar. 8
9 a.m. Quinnipiac vs. Boston University
11:15 a.m. Quinnipiac vs. LIU Brooklyn
1:30 p.m. FGCU vs. Pittsburgh

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  .691 (502-223-3). 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.