FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (22-23, 5-9 Atlantic Sun) used late inning heroics to win both games against Jacksonville (22-22, 4-7 Atlantic Sun) on Saturday afternoon at the FGCU Softball Complex. The Eagles won the first game in nine innings by a 5-4 score before winning the second game by a 2-1 count.

In game one, junior Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) was the hero as she went 2-for-4 and hit the walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth. Junior Alexis Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) added two singles and an RBI.

In game two, the late inning heroics came from senior Christine Marino (Miami, Fla./Hialeah Miami Lakes HS/Bryan College) who hit the second walk-off single of the day. Senior Kelsey Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) went 1-for-3 and added a run.

"Two hard fought victories for our team today," said head coach David Deiros. "Just a real testament to them being able to stick to what they were doing and not giving up, real proud of them all the way around. Great job by Taylor Wade, I think she saved us in the first game. She threw four strong innings of relief to hold them at bay and give us a chance to win it. Shelby [Morgan] threw a gem in game two, and just a good team effort all the way around. We are looking to see if we can continue that tomorrow."

The series finale against Jacksonville was originally slated for 2 p.m. but will be moved up to Noon due to the threat of inclement weather in the area.

GAME ONE
Junior Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley HS) took the circle for the Green and Blue in game one. Dobson pitched five innings, allowing four earned runs, eight hits, one walk and struck out four. Sophomore Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) picked up the win for the Eagles. Wade threw four innings, allowing two hits, walking one and striking out four.

Kasandra Castle (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central HS) singled to the right side to lead off the second inning before being replaced by pinch runner Kori Dunn (Chuluota, Fla./Lake Howell HS), who promptly stole second. Dunn then moved to third on a sacrifice fly before scoring on a fielding error by the shortstop which allowed Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) to reach. Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) then reached first via a walk. McAvoy then loaded the bases after getting hit by a pitch. With two outs and the bases loaded Carpenter singled to the left side which scored Verderese, the shortstop then made an error on the play which also allowed Huff to score. Ross singled to center to score McAvoy for the final run of the inning.

Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian) led off the ninth with an infield single before advancing to second on a single up the middle of the bat of Huff. McAvoy then stepped to the plate and hit the walk-off single through the right side, scoring Lopez.

The Dolphins tied the game in the fifth inning, but could not get anything going the rest of the game. Jacksonville scored its four runs on 10 hits.

GAME TWO
Senior Shelby Morgan (High Springs, Fla./Sante Fe HS) earned the complete game victory for the Green and Blue. The senior allowed five hits, one earned run and struck out two.

In the seventh, Carpenter singled through the right side and advanced to second on a single to right from Michaela Hynes (Windermere, Fla./West Orange HS). Chandler Middlebrook (Auburndale, Fla./Auburndale) then loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch.  Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee HS) then entered the game to pinch run for Hynes on second. Marino then hit a two-run single to left center to win the game for the Eagles.

The Dolphins' could only muster five hits with their only run coming on a homerun in the sixth inning.

The Eagles conclude the three-game series with Jacksonville on Sunday, Apr. 12 with first pitch slated for Noon. Prior to the start of Sunday's game, FGCU will honor its seniors.

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  .687 (511-234-3). 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.