FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (20-19, 3-6 Atlantic Sun) returns home to take on conference opponent USC Upstate (26-6, 8-1 Atlantic Sun) in a three-game series this weekend.  The Green and Blue open up the series with a doubleheader on Friday, April 3 with first pitch slated for 5 p.m. The series concludes on Saturday, April 4 with first pitch at 1 p.m.
 
THE GREEN AND BLUE
Last time out, the Eagles were swept by conference foe Stetson.  Kelsey Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) provided most of the offense for FGCU, recording six hits in 11 at-bats, two of which were sent out of the park. Carpenter's two home runs against the Hatters bumped her into first place on the team with four home runs this season.  The senior also leads the team in hits (38), RBI (25), slugging percentage (.523), walks (17) and total bases (58).
 
In the final game of the series, Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) scored to record her team-leading 28th run of the season.  With a team leading 19 stolen bases and a .375 batting average, the freshman has made a huge impact on the team this year.   
 
Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Kankakee Valley HS) leads the Eagles with a 2.91 ERA, despite allowing four runs her last time out.  The junior has notched 10 wins, which is good for fourth most in the A-Sun, to lead the Green and Blue while adding a team-best 70 strikeouts.
 
Offensively, the team has held a combined batting average of .279 to go along with 144 RBI and 170 runs.
 
THE SPARTANS
The Eagles will get their first look at this season's USC Upstate team that was ranked as high as No. 21 in the nation last season before they fell to South Alabama in the Tuscaloosa region of the NCAA tournament.  This is also the first time these two teams will face-off since their thrilling Atlantic Sun Championship semifinal game, which saw FGCU barely hold off the heavily favored Spartans by a score of 8-7.
 
The Spartans are coming off of a dominant three-game sweep of UNF that saw them outscore the Ospreys by a lopsided score of 31-5.   In his 21st year at USC Upstate, head coach Chris Hawkins leads this powerful team that was voted to finish first in the preseason coaches poll.
 
Preseason Player of the Year Shellie Robinson has lived up to the lofty expectations thus far.  The senior leads the conference with a batting average of .426 and 15 home runs.  Her 33 RBI are good enough for third in the conference and are only two behind the conference leader.
 
In the circle, Lexi Shubert was selected as the Preseason Pitcher of the Year and the second year right-hander has been nothing short of sensational.  In 138.2 innings pitched, she has led the conference with a 1.62 ERA.  That number is an astounding 1.10 runs better than the next best pitcher in the conference.  Shubert has dominated batters in nearly every aspect, leading the conference in both wins (18) and strikeouts (130).  The sophomore has also allowed the fewest walks (22) of any pitcher who has thrown 75 or more innings in the A-Sun.  As a team, USC Upstate leads the conference with a combined ERA of 2.38.
 
UP NEXT
FGCU continues its homestand after USC Upstate with a single game against USF on Wednesday, April 8 at 6 p.m.   Following the midweek contest, the Eagles welcome conference opponent Jacksonville for a three-game series, beginning with a doubleheader on Saturday, April 11 at 2 p.m. and concluding on Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m.
 
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 (509-230-3). 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.