SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Facing the Atlantic Sun preseason favorites, the FGCU softball team put together two statement wins Friday over USC Upstate. The Eagles tallied a 3-0 win over the Spartans before exploding for 10 runs in a 10-2 run-rule victory to complete the doubleheader sweep. FGCU improves to 18-16 overall and 2-0 in the Atlantic Sun. USC Upstate meanwhile falls to 27-6 overall and 2-3 in the A-Sun.

"Any road win in the A-Sun is huge but road wins are even more precious," said head coach David Deiros. "Our entire team played marvelously in in all facets and our coaches are very proud of their performances. We are looking forward to competing again tomorrow."

A power arm and two powerful swings were the difference in the series-opener. Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) set the tone, shutting out the Atlantic Sun's top offensive team. The freshman kept FGCU in a scoreless contest until Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) hit a solo home run to left in the fourth. In the sixth, it was another freshman, Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School), sending a two-run home run to right to cap the scoring, giving FGCU a 3-0 win.

It was Fournet that kept the momentum moving forward with another two-run home run in the first inning of the second game of the day as the Eagle offense made its mark. Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) limited the damage in the second inning, allowing the bats to post 10 runs in the game for a 10-2 FGCU win.

FGCU 3, USC UPSTATE 0
Hits were hard to come by for both teams in the opener. FGCU tallied the first hit in the third, a Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) double with one out but the sophomore was left on the bases. Randolph worked herself out of a jam in the bottom of the third stranding a pair of Spartans, keeping the game scoreless for Ross.

With one out in the fourth inning, the senior stepped to the plate and took a 3-1 offering over the fence in left. It wasn't until the sixth inning that either side would tally another hit. Beginning with a Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) single, Fournet hit her sixth home run of the season, pushing FGCU's lead to 3-0.

The Eagles threatened again in the seventh but the three runs were all Randolph would require. The freshman tossed a complete game shutout, striking out four while allowing only four hits.

FGCU 10, USC Upstate 2
Fournet picked up where she left off in the opener, hitting a two run home run to left center putting the Eagles immediately in front 2-0.

Upstate plated two runs in the second off of Wade on three singles, but the junior kept the damage at a minimum as the game moved to the third tied at two. Fournet started the rally with a one-out single, followed by a Ross single and a Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) single. LuLu Newmark (Pembroke Pines, Fla./Bowling Green/American Heritage HS) made it four singles in a row, driving the ball to right center to score Fournet and Ross to put FGCU back in front 4-2. A Michaela Hynes (Windermere, Fla./West Orange HS) sacrifice fly completed the three-run third for FGCU.

Wade sent the Green and Blue into the fourth with the same 5-2 lead and the junior would be rewarded. Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee HS) led off the fourth with a walk and was brought home on a Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) single to right. After Fournet walked, Ross singled to left to score McAvoy. With two runs already on the board in the inning and the bases loaded with two outs, Hynes doubled down the line in left, clearing the bases and extending FGCU's lead to 10-2.

Wade allowed a single hit in the fourth before giving way to Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Tallahassee Community College/Kankakee Valley HS) in the fifth. The senior kept Upstate off the board, securing the win for FGCU.

Wade pitched four innings, allowing two runs on five hits. McAvoy, Fournet, Ross and Verderese each collected two hits in the win.

UP NEXT
The Eagles go for the series sweep in the finale Saturday at noon.

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 (530-258-3). 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.