FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (22-24, 5-10 Atlantic Sun) fell in the series finale to Jacksonville (23-22, 5-7 Atlantic Sun) by a 7-3 score on Sunday afternoon at the FGCU Softball Complex. The Eagles honored Amanda Byers, Kelsey Carpenter, Christine Marino and Shelby Morgan for senior day prior to the start of the game.

Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) went 2-for-3 with a two-run double to lead the Eagles at the plate.

"Congratulations to our four seniors on a great effort over their time here at FGCU," said head coach David Deiros. "They have been great ambassadors for our program."  

Morgan (High Springs, Fla./Sante Fe HS) started the game for the Eagles and pitched 4.1 innings. The senior allowed five hits, two runs, walked three and struck out one. Sophomore Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) pitched 2.2 innings of relief. Wade gave up five hits, five runs, three earned runs, walked one and struck out two.

Freshman Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) led the game off with an infield single before advancing to second on a bunt single off the bat of junior Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS). With one out, Carpenter doubled down the right-field line, scoring McAvoy and Huff. 

Junior Alexis Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) led off the fourth inning by reaching on a walk before being replaced by pinch runner Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee HS). Carpenter then reached first on a bunt single, advancing LiCata to second. LiCata then scored on a throwing error by the first baseman.

The Dolphins tied the game in second inning before FGCU took a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Jacksonville then hit a grand slam and an RBI single in the top of the seventh to win the game. The Dolphins seven runs came on 10 hits and two errors.

FGCU will travel to Kennesaw, Ga. to take on Kennesaw State for a three-game series. The conference matchup will begin with a doubleheader on Saturday, Apr. 18, with start times slated for 1 and 3 p.m. followed by a 1 p.m. game on Sunday, Apr. 19.

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 (511-235-3). 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.