JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Two dominant performances by the FGCU softball team clinched a first round bye in the upcoming Atlantic Sun Softball Championships and moved the Eagles one step closer to an outright regular season title. Following an 8-1 win over Jacksonville to begin the day, FGCU followed with an 8-0 run-rule victory to complete the doubleheader sweep. The Eagles, who host this season's conference tournament, are guaranteed either the No. 1 or No. 2 seed following today's results. FGCU is now 29-25 on the year with a 12-5 record in the A-Sun. Jacksonville falls to 27-27 overall and 8-9 in conference action.

FGCU can now secure the regular season title with a win tomorrow or with a loss by USC Upstate against UNF at any point this weekend.

The FGCU offense flexed its muscle, tallying three home runs behind yet another fantastic performance by Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) in the circle. Leading 1-0 after two innings, Louie Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) and Chandler Middlebrook (Auburndale, Fla./Auburndale HS) each homered to increase the Eagle lead to 6-0. Bree Tourtillott (Dixon, Ill./Tallahassee Community College/Oregon HS) then homered in the fourth to make it 7-0. Jacksonville tallied its first hit in the fourth but FGCU got the run back immediately as Randolph finished off the game and the 8-1 win for FGCU.

The Eagles grabbed another early lead thanks to a Ross RBI in the second game. FGCU then tacked on two more in the second and third innings to increase its lead to 5-0. Both offenses were then held in check until the sixth, when four doubles scored three runs to increase FGCU's lead to 8-0. The Green and Blue pitched themselves out of one final jam in the sixth to close out the run-rule win.

"I thought we played two really good softball games in all areas of the game," said head coach David Deiros. "We made some spectacular defensive plays especially in the second game. Offensively we combined for 25 hits and 10 extra base hits. We got production from up and down the lineup and got base hits from everyone across the board. This group has made us proud throughout the entire season. It's been a fun ride and we're finishing hard. "

GAME ONE: FGCU 8, Jacksonville 1
Both offenses were held in the first inning but FGCU broke through in the second. Middlebrook reached with one out after being hit by a pitch and moved to second on a Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) single. After another infield single by Bri Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS), Tourtillott drove in Middlebrook with a sacrifice fly. That would be all FGCU would get in the inning, but the Green and Blue broke the game open an inning later.

Following a dominant second inning from Randolph, collecting two strikeouts in the frame, FGCU used two swings of the bat to score five runs in the third. Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) led off the inning with a hit by pitch and promptly stole second base. Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) then tallied an infield single, setting the table for Ross. The senior drove a 1-2 pitch over the fence for a three-run home run, her third of the year, to give FGCU a 4-0 cushion. Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) then followed with a single and then Middlebrook hit FGCU's second home run of the inning to put FGCU in front 6-0.

Two more strikeouts in the bottom of the third for Randolph sent the Eagles back up to the plate to face a new Dolphin pitcher. Two pitches into the fourth, Tourtillott collected her second RBI of the game on her second home run of the season.

Leading 7-0, Randolph conceded a run on a home run in the fourth, the first hit allowed by the freshman in the contest. The Green and Blue pulled the run back in the fifth on an Innamorato RBI single plating Carissa LiCata (Okeechobee, Fla./Okeechobee HS).

An infield single and a walk put Jacksonville in a threatening position in the fifth, but Randolph slammed the door with a strikeout and a pair of ground balls to keep the Green and Blue in front 8-1.

It was a quiet sixth inning for both teams, allowing Randolph to tally one more strikeout in the seventh to complete her 15th victory of the season. The left-hander allowed just two hits, striking out eight Dolphins over seven innings while walking just one.

With her three-run home run, Ross has now driven in 41 RBIs this season. Huff went 2-for-4 at the plate and Innamorato also collected two hits. Middlebrook and Tourtillott each drove in a pair.

GAME TWO: FGCU 8, Jacksonville 0
The Eagles took an early 1-0 lead behind a Ross single to plate Huff but Jacksonville threatened to tie the game or take the lead in the bottom half of the first. The Dolphins loaded the bases against Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS), only for the right-hander to strike out one before forcing a ground out to end the inning.

The Eagles then put the first two runners on in the second on singles by Innamorato and Lopez. Huff brought in Lopez with a double to right before a Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) ground out scored Amber Plaza (Fort Myers, Fla./Miami Dade College/Bishop Verot HS).

With a 3-0 advantage, Draney found herself in trouble again in the second as JU put runners at the corners with one away in the inning. Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) came on at that moment and proceeded to force a foul out before striking out the final batter of the inning.

The Green and Blue tallied two more runs in the third, on a double steal followed by an error to take a commanding 5-0 lead into the bottom of the third. A pair of walks allowed the Dolphins to threaten in their half of the third, but a double play ball ended the inning, sending the Eagles into the fourth with the same 5-0 lead.

Wade stifled the Dolphins in the fourth and fifth as FGCU looked to put the game out of reach and in the sixth, FGCU did just that. With one out in the inning, Ross and Fournet hit back-to-back doubles, pushing the score to 6-0. Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) followed with a pinch-hit double of her own before Innamorato capped the scoring with her own RBI double.

After Jacksonville put the first two runners on in the sixth, Randolph entered the game and proceeded to strike out the first two batters she faced and then forced a pop out to end the game.

Draney fell short of the minimum, tossing 1.1 innings while walking three batters and striking out one. Wade earned her seventh win of the season, pitching the middle 3.2 innings of scoreless ball while walking two and striking out one. Randolph struck out two in the final inning of work for FGCU. The trio of pitchers allowed just three hits in the combined shutout.

Huff and Fournet each tallied three hits in the victory while Ross tacked on two more as FGCU collected a season-best 15 in the game. Innamorato also ended the day with a multi-hit game.

UP NEXT
Regardless of other outcomes over the weekend, FGCU can clinch its first outright A-Sun title tomorrow at 1 p.m. in the series finale against Jacksonville.

A-SUN TOURNAMENT TICKET INFORMATION
Tournament passes will be available for $15.00 for adults and $7 for youth (ages 3-12) and individual session tickets will be available for $6.00 for adults and $3 for youth (ages 3-12). No team pass lists will be accepted. Admission for all college students presenting a valid student ID from any A-Sun institution will be free. Children 2 years and under will be admitted free.
 
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 .669 (541-266-3). 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.