FORT MYERS, Fla. – A stellar performance at the plate from Racquel Fournet paved the way for FGCU softball's 6-5 win over Southern Illinois Saturday. The freshman's first career home run and four total RBIs proved to the difference, helping FGCU improve to 3-5 in 2016, while Southern Illinois fell to 5-3.

"I was really happy to see the momentum carry over from yesterday into today," said head coach David Deiros. "I thought we played really well offensively and we had our moments when we pitched it and caught it pretty good. We just need to keep that energy and enthusiasm going to carry us through the tough times. We were able to get out of some innings that could have been a lot worse than they were."

The visitors struck first on a sacrifice fly but the Green and Blue bounced right back on Fournet's (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) first RBI of the day. FGCU would plate another in the bottom of the first, taking a 2-1 lead into the third. It was a Ross RBI and a Fournet three-run homer in the third that gave FGCU just enough run support, leading 6-1. SIU used a three-run home run in the fourth to cut the lead to 6-4 and plated another in the seventh before the Eagles closed out the 6-5 victory.

Southern Illinois took the early 1-0 on a sacrifice fly following a leadoff triple. Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) settled in from that point, limiting the damage to just the single run. With two away in the bottom half of the inning, Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) singled up the middle and came around to score on a Fournet double to center. Chandler Middlebrook (Auburndale, Fla./Auburndale HS) then followed with a single to right, plating the freshman and giving FGCU a 2-1 lead.

Wade continued to silence the opponents through the second and third, setting up a four-run third for the Green and Blue. Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) led off the inning with a walk and Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) followed with a single. With runners on first and second, Ross made it 3-1 Eagles on a single to right. Fournet stepped to the plate and on a full count, hit her first career home run, giving FGCU a 6-1 lead.

The Salukis stormed back, putting the first two runners on the bases in the fourth before Savannah Fisher hit a line drive homer down the left field line. Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Tallahassee Community College/Kankakee Valley HS) entered for Wade and kept SIU from cutting further into the lead.

The Eagles had a chance to score some insurance runs in the fifth with both Ross and Fournet reaching to lead off the inning, but both were stranded on the bases.

Southern Illinois cut into the lead to with a pair of singles, bringing Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS) into the game to pitch.  The Salukis loaded the bases, only for Draney to close out the win with a strikeout and a foul out.

Fournet finished the day with three hits and four RBIs, including her first career home run. Ross produced a pair of hits and scored twice. Wade pitched three innings, falling short of the required four innings for the win. The junior allowed four runs on five hits while striking out a pair. Dobson earned her first win of the young season while tossing 3.1 innings, allowing one run on three hits with four strikeouts. Draney picked up her first save of the season.

Due to illness, Southern Illinois will not play in any games Sunday. FGCU's contest against LIU has been cancelled and the remaining schedule is as follows: 
Marshall vs. LIU at 9 a.m.
Hofstra vs. LIU 11:15 a.m.

DAY TWO RESULTS
Marshall 9, Hofstra 1
FGCU 6, Southern Illinois 5
Hofstra 10, Saint Louis 2
Marshall 4, LIU 2
Saint Louis 5, LIU 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 .673 (515-247-3). 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.