FORT MYERS, Fla. – With the potential to take sole possession of first place in the Atlantic Sun, the FGCU softball team defeated Kennesaw State 8-0 in five innings Sunday afternoon to take the series. The Eagles used two three-run innings to take down the Owls while improving to 23-21 overall and 7-5 in the A-Sun. Kennesaw State is now 23-19 overall and 6-6 in the A-Sun.

Riley Randolph's (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) second-straight two hit shutout paved the way for FGCU as the Eagles remained on top of the Atlantic Sun conference with an 8-0 win. FGCU scored twice in the first inning and used excellent base running to score three times in both the second and fourth innings to claim the series win.  

"It's still a tight, cramped, set of headquarters at the top of the conference," said head coach David Deiros. "Everybody is playing tough against each other so we can't lose sight of the prize or making sure we're working on a daily basis. I can't be any prouder of our kids for the way they went about their business today. They were focused and diligent in making sure they got their jobs done. Our base running was impeccable today as well. We stole a couple of runs with how aggressive we were on the bases which is a credit to coach Bachkora at third base."

For the second time in three games, the Eagles grabbed an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. A one-out single by Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla.Plant City HS) brought up Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) with two outs. The senior extended the inning with a single up the middle before Michaela Hynes (Windermere, Fla./West Orange HS) drove in McAvoy with a single down the third base line. After a pitching change, Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) reached on an error, sending Ross home with a spectacular slide around the catcher to make it 2-0.

Randolph retired Kennesaw State in order in the second, sending the bottom of the FGCU order up to bat. Bree Tourtillott (Dixon, Ill./Tallahassee Community College/Oregon HS) led off the inning with a single but was retired on a fielder's choice. Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee HS) however stole second and moved to third on a Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) single. With runners at the corners, FGCU put its speed to the test against the Owls, who entered fifth nationally in stolen bases. Lopez was on the move early in the count, stealing second and on an errant throw into center, LiCata scored to make it 3-0. Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) stepped into the box, perfectly laying down a bunt along the first base line. Huff's speed allowed her to move to second, taking advantage of an unaware Owl infield. On the throw to second, LiCata scored to make it 4-0 in favor of FGCU. Ross then singled to center to bring in Huff, completing the three-run second inning for the Green and Blue.

With a 5-0 lead, Randolph conceded a two-out single in the third but it would be the final hit of the afternoon for the Owls.

Huff began yet another three-run inning for FGCU in the fourth with a one-out single. Following a McAvoy walk, Ross singled up the middle with two outs to score Huff. With McAvoy at third, Ross stole second while Hynes walked to load the bases. Verderese took a 1-2 pitch to shallow center, scoring both McAvoy and Ross for the 8-0 lead.

Randolph closed out the win in the fifth, pushing FGCU to the top of the Atlantic Sun standings. The freshman tallied her second win of the weekend and 12th overall, allowing two hits in her second-straight shutout.

Ross went 3-for-3 from the plate, driving in two runs while Verderese also scored a pair of Eagles. Huff collected two hits in the win for the Green and Blue offensively.

UP NEXT
FGCU takes a break from conference play to take on FAU Wednesday in a doubleheader. Action in Boca Raton begins at 5 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 is in 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 (535-263-3). 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.