FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball winning streak came to an end Saturday with two losses on the second day of the Spring Break Classic. The Eagles dropped an extra-inning affair to Ball State 3-2 before falling 6-1 to No. 21/25 Notre Dame to end the day. FGCU is 11-7 on the season while Ball State improved to 10-8 and Notre Dame moved to 14-3.

Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) kept FGCU in the ballgame throughout against the Cardinals, holding Ball State to just one run during her seven innings. FGCU tied the game in the fourth and had chances to win late, but were unable to find the clutch hit to win. A two-run homer in the eighth proved to be the difference as FGCU fell 3-2.

FGCU fell behind early against Notre Dame as the Irish plated single runs in the first and third innings against Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS). The freshman struck out six batters, keeping FGCU in the contest but a solo home run and a pair of runs late put the contest out of reach. The Eagles had cut the lead to 3-1 after four innings, but could not get any closer, falling 6-1.

"We had a chance to win the first game but we couldn't push the run across and it's disappointing," said head coach David Deiros. "Taylor pitched well enough to win and really only threw one bad pitch. Even then we had a chance to tie it up but we ran ourselves into an out and couldn't push the run across. We're still playing and doing enough to stay in ballgames. Riley came out a little amped up and she overthrew against Notre Dame in the first. We should have done better when we had our chances against Notre Dame but their pitcher did well against us."

GAME ONE
After three flawless innings from Wade, the junior conceded a lead-off walk, the first baserunner for either team in the game. The Cardinals would eventually take a 1-0 lead but the Eagle defense limited the damage. With the bases loaded and only one out in the inning, Wade induced two ground balls to keep the score at 1-0.

The FGCU offense used that to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth following its first hit, a one-out single by Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS). Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) singled, putting runners at the corners and Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) brought in McAvoy, tying the contest at 1-1.

The Green and Blue left two on bases in the fifth following two-out singles by Emily Demurias (Miami, Fla./Killian HS) and Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) as Wade continued to shut down the Cardinals. As the contest moved into the seventh, the Eagles had the winning run 60 feet away, but could not capitalize on the situation.

With the international tiebreaker in effect, Madeline Porter was placed at second to start the inning for Ball State. On a 2-0 count, Amanda Arnett went to the opposite field, hitting a two-run home run. Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind./Tallahassee Community College/Kankakee Valley HS) then came on to relieve Wade and kept the deficit at 3-1.

FGCU embarked on the comeback trail in its half of the eighth on a Ross RBI, but that's all FGCU would get, falling 3-2.

Wade (2-3) pitched 7.1 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits while striking out four. Dobson tossed the final 0.2 innings.

Ross drove in a pair of runs in the contest while Fournet tallied two hits. McAvoy scored the only two runs for FGCU.

GAME TWO
Hoping to knock off its first ranked opponent since 2012, the Green and Blue trailed 1-0 after the first inning. The lead doubled in the second on an error, plating the second Irish run.

Bri Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) collected the first hit of the game for FGCU in the third but was left on the bases as the game moved to the fourth.
Notre Dame tallied another run in the third as the Irish got caught in a rundown following a single to right but FGCU chipped into the lead in the bottom of the inning. Following a Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) single and a stolen base by the sophomore, McAvoy singled to put runners at second and third. Fournet then drew a walk to load the bases for Ross. The senior hit a fly ball to center, scoring Huff on a sacrifice fly. The Eagles were unable to cut into the lead further, trailing 3-1 heading into the fifth.

Randolph had scattered five hits through five innings, allowing two earned through five innings while striking out six batters. The freshman though would give up a home run in the sixth, putting FGCU behind 4-1.

Notre Dame tacked on two more runs in the top of the seventh against Dobson, pushing the final to 6-1.

Randolph fell to 3-2 on the year, allowing three earned runs on six hits through six innings. Dobson tossed the final inning, allowing two runs on two hits.

Huff, McAvoy and Innamorato recorded hits for FGCU while Ross drove in the lone run.

UP NEXT
FGCU travels to Clearwater, Fla. for a neutral contest against Central Michigan Tuesday. The doubleheader is slated to begin at 1 p.m.

DAY TWO RESULTS
Ball State 14, Stony Brook 1
Notre Dame 4, Stony Brook 3
Ball State 3, FGCU 2
Notre Dame 6, FGCU 1

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 .677 (523-249-3). 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.