FORT MYERS, Fla – It was another dramatic day for the FGCU softball team, as the Eagles nearly staged a comeback against Hofstra, before ending the day with a walk-off winner over Saint Louis. FGCU is now 2-5 on the season, while Hofstra is 5-2 and Saint Louis is 3-4.

"I'm just proud of our kids," said head coach David Deiros. "We played 15 innings of really inspired softball. It wasn't the prettiest softball at all times but it was what we resolved to do in our week of preparation. We played with enthusiasm and we stayed together tonight. It would have been nice to get two wins tonight but we came away with a style of play that's more conducive for what we're trying to accomplish."

Facing its first 2015 NCAA Tournament team, the Eagles led 5-1 after three innings of play against Hofstra. The Pride however used a four-run fourth to tie the game and then a three-run sixth to take an 8-5 lead. FGCU battled back, immediately pushing two runs across in the bottom of the sixth, but the comeback would fall short as the Eagles dropped an 8-7 decision to the Pride.

In the nightcap against Saint Louis, FGCU led from the start thanks to a bases loaded walk. Home runs from Chandler Middlebrook (Auburndale, Fla./Auburndale HS) and LuLu Newmark (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Bowling Green/American Heritage HS) pushed the advantage to 4-0 behind a strong pitching performance from Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS). The Billikens tied the game in the seventh, forcing extra innings, before Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) hit a walk-off single to give FGCU a 5-4 victory.

GAME ONE
Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Tallahassee Community College/Kankakee Valley HS) worked around a one-out double to center, giving her side a chance to take a lead in the bottom of the first and it was an opportunity the Eagles would not pass up. After Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) led off the inning with a single, Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) was hit by a pitch putting runners at first and second. Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) advanced both runners 60 feet setting the table for a potentially big inning. With Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) at the plate, Huff scored on a wild pitch and moments later, Fournet scored MacAvoy on a single.

With a 2-0 advantage, a throwing error with two-on and two-out put the visitors on the board for the first time, cutting the lead to 2-1.

McAvoy scored Bree Tourtillott (Dixon, Ill./Tallahassee Community College/Oregon HS) in the second after the junior led off the inning with a single. In the next inning, FGCU put the lead off runner on for the third-straight time when Fournet singled to right. The Green and Blue were in danger of stranding her but Tourtillott doubled to right to put runners at second and third. Verderese produced a clutch double down the line in left scoring both runners.

The Pride tied the game in the fourth with a four-run frame, capped by a three-run home run off the bat of Kim Smith. Hofstra took the lead in sixth on a pair of Eagle errors to take an 8-5 lead into the bottom of the sixth.

In the bottom half of the frame, FGCU took advantage of some miscues by Hofstra. Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) led off the inning, reaching on an error by the third baseman and on the play she went to third. Huff then reached on an error, but was thrown out trying to steal second. McAvoy brought Lopez home on a single to right and would eventually score on a Middlebrook sacrifice fly.

Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS) kept the Pride off the board in the seventh, sending the Eagles into the final frame trailing 8-7. After Tourtillott led off the inning with a single, FGCU was unable to bring her home as the game went final.

Fournet, Verderese and Tourtillott all collected two hits during the contest. Verderese and McAvoy both drove in a pair of runs. Draney was hit with the loss, falling to 1-1 on the year. Dobson started the game, allowing four earned runs on six hits over four innings.

GAME TWO
FGCU took an early lead on an Innamorato based loaded walk, supporting Randolph who conceded only two hits over the first five innings.

After a scoreless second, the Eagles got some much needed run support on a two-run home run to left off the bat of Middlebrook.

LuLu Newmark (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Bowling Green/American Heritage HS) tacked on to the lead with her first career hit, a home run to right to put FGCU in front 4-0 after six innings of play.

The Billikens however refused to go away. After the first two batters reached, a fielder's choice plated the first run of the day for Saint Louis. The Billikens would then load the bases and tie the game on a two-run single followed by a sacrifice fly.

After Draney kept Saint Louis off the board in the eighth, Emily Demurias (Miami, Fla./Killian HS) ran for Middleboork at second with the international tiebreaker in effect. Innamorato laid down a sac bunt to bring Demurias to third. The bases were full of Eagles following a Newmark hit by pitch and a Morgan Sutherland (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier High School) walk when Verderese stepped to the plate and delivered the game-winning hit over to the wall in left.

Ross and Verderese ended the evening with a pair of hits. Middlebrook meanwhile drove in a two runs in the win. Draney picked up the win in the circle, the second on the year. Randolph pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits.

UP NEXT
The Eagles face Southern Illinois tomorrow at 12:15 p.m. as the Four Points by Sheraton Invitational continues.

DAY ONE RESULTS
Southern Illinois 9, Long Island 0
Marshall 10, Long Island 2
Southern Illinois 8, Marshall 6
Hofstra 9, Saint Louis 1
Hofstra 8, FGCU 7
FGCU 5, Saint Louis 4

FOLLOW ALONG
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.
 
COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros enters his 14th 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 .672 (514-247-3). The 2015 Eagles finished with a 23-30 record and wins over Atlantic 10, Southland, AAC and ACC opponents. 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.
 
SUPPORT THE CAUSE
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.