ORLANDO, Fla. – The UCF Spring Fling concluded Saturday for the FGCU softball team with a split. The Eagles earned a 2-0 win over Lehigh to start the day but fell to Utah 7-0 to wrap up the tournament. FGCU is now 14-11 on the season, while Utah is 14-8 and Lehigh is 7-4.

Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) set the tone to open the day against the Mountain Hawks, shutting down a team that had won 40 games in 2015. The freshman received the run support she needed in the fifth on a Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) sacrifice bunt and a Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) single, plating a pair of runs. Randolph did the rest, allowing just three hits.

A five-run third inning put the Eagles behind against the Utes, who received votes in the latest USA Softball poll. FGCU had its chances, scattering eight hits in the contest but could not push any runs across, falling 7-0.

"I'm very proud of our efficiency in game one against a very good Lehigh team," said head coach David Deiros. "However, we keep turning mole hills into mountains in our losses. That's what happened in the third against Utah. We will learn to keep our composure and recover."

FGCU 2, LEHIGH 0
In a scoreless contest through three innings, Randolph limited the Mountain Hawks to two hits in that span while the Eagles scattered four. In the fourth, FGCU placed two runners on, but a double play slowed the momentum before the top of the inning came to a close.

Randolph retired Lehigh in order in the bottom of the fourth, setting up another dangerous opportunity for the Eagles in the fifth. Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee HS) and Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) singled to lead off the inning and both advanced 60 feet on a Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) sacrifice bunt. Ross then brought in LiCata on a sacrifice of her own, giving FGCU a 1-0 advantage. Fournet followed with a single up the middle to score Huff, doubling FGCU's lead.   

Randolph would only need the two runs, shutting out the Mountain Hawks with three strikeouts over seven innings for her sixth win of the season. Meanwhile, Huff tallied two of FGCU's seven total hits.

FGCU 0, UTAH 7
FGCU and Utah exchanged hits early in the contest before the Utes strung together six hits in the third, plating five runs against Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS). Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS) then entered, recording the final two outs in the frame.

FGCU would have baserunners on in the third and fifth innings in search of a late rally but the final hit avoided the Eagles. FGCU would record multiple hits in only two innings.

Utah scored two more runs in the sixth to make it 7-0 in favor of the Pac-12 foe as the contest moved into the seventh. Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) and LiCata each singled in the seventh with one out to put pressure on the Utes but both would be left on the bases as the game to a close.

Wade allowed five runs on seven hits in 2.1 innings while falling to 2-4 on the year. Draney tossed the final 4.2 innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Ross tallied a pair of hits in the loss.

UP NEXT
The Eagles return home for a stretch of seven games in four days starting with a doubleheader against Green Bay Wednesday. First pitch against the Phoenix is scheduled for 3 p.m.

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 .676 (526-253-3). 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.