BOCA RATON, Fla. – Taking a break from conference action the FGCU softball team takes on No. 22 FAU Wednesday in Boca Raton. The doubleheader against the Owls is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. The meeting with FAU also marks the fourth and fifth games against a ranked opponent this season.

Fans who are unable to make the trip can follow along on live stats for free. Links for live stats can be found by visiting the softball schedule on FGCUAthletics.com or by visiting FAUSports.com. A live stream of the games will also be available however it is subscription-based. Fans who choose to watch the doubleheader will have to cancel their subscription or they will continue to be charged.

THE GREEN AND BLUE
The Eagles maintained their position atop a highly-competitive Atlantic Sun conference with a pair of wins over Kennesaw State last weekend to improve to 23-21 overall and 7-5 in the A-Sun. The Eagles and Owls entered with matching 5-4 records but after two Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) shutouts, the Green and Blue are now alone at the top, .012 points in front of Stetson.

Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) led the Eagles at the plate, driving in six runs while hitting .571. Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) scored four times and stole two bases, adding to her .500 average. Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee HS) led FGCU with three stolen bases and also scored two runs.

The top of the order continues to be dangerous, as Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) and Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) each hit above .400 over the weekend. McAvoy scored five times and hit .429 while Fournet posted a .500 average at the plate.

FGCU did not record a single extra base hit against the Owls, but tallied 12 RBIs and hit .362 as a team.

SCOUTING THE OWLS
The Owls have posted an impressive 36-7 record while moving up to No. 22 in the latest NFCA Coaches Poll. FAU is also receiving votes in the latest USA Softball poll, backed by the second-best team ERA in the nation. Kylee Hanson's 11 shutouts this season leads the nation, allowing just over three hits per game which also leads the nation. Hanson boasts a 0.66 ERA this season thanks in part to her 197 strikeouts which have helped her to a team-best 19 wins this season. In addition to Hanson, FAU also has Amanda Wilson on staff who has posted a .156 ERA while compiling 10 wins in 90 innings of work.

Offensively, Madisyn Palmer leads the team with a .396 average in limited action. Palmer has played in 27 games, swiping 13 bases in that time. Emily Lochten has started in all 43 games for the Owls, hitting .373 with 11 home runs and 37 RBIs. Along with her hitting prowess, Lochten has also stolen 16 bases to lead the team. FAU features a balanced lineup, with four batters tallying 20 or more RBIs this season.

In four previous meetings, the Eagles have won three times. FAU's only win in the series came in 2014 in the second game of a doubleheader. FGCU is 2-0 in Boca Raton, however the teams have not played there since 2008.

UP NEXT
The Eagles wrap up their non-conference schedule this weekend against the FIU Panthers. On Saturday, FGCU and FIU play a doubleheader beginning at 2 p.m. and the series concludes Sunday at 12 p.m. Sunday's contest also marks Senior Day for the three graduating seniors on FGCU's rosters. The trio will be honored prior to the start of Sunday's game.

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 .670 (535-262-3). 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.