FORT MYERS, Fla. – For the second straight day the FGCU softball team settled for a split as the Eagles defeated Iowa State before falling to IUPUI. The Green and Blue (15-12) used a three-run fifth to pull away from the Cyclones (12-16) in a 7-4 victory before dropping a 2-1 decision to the Jaguars (7-17).

"There really is no excuse for our performance in the second game," said head coach David Deiros. "We made too many mistakes on defense, especially in the inning where they scored their two runs because both runs were preventable. We just didn't make plays when we needed them and you can't give teams extra opportunities. We played really well in the first game, even after they came back to tie the game. I don't want to lose sight of what today was. We wore our pink jerseys in honor of our family members who have battled this sinister disease so we played for our families today."

A Morgan White (Ocala, Fla./Forest HS) double to right-center gave FGCU a three-run cushion heading into the final two innings, more than enough for Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) to secure the win. FGCU led 4-0 as the game moved into the fifth inning but the visitors scored four times to tie the game before the Eagles' rally.

FGCU took an early lead in the first only for IUPUI to score twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead. FGCU's bats went quiet, recording three hits in the contest falling 2-1.

GAME ONE: FGCU 7, Iowa State 4
Bree Tourtillott (Dixon, Ill./Oregon HS/Tallahassee Community College) gave the Eagles an early advantage, scoring Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) after FGCU loaded the bases. Bri Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) then drew a walk to score Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) making it 2-0 but FGCU left the bases loaded without any further damage.

The lead remained 2-0 until the fourth. While Randolph held the Cyclones to two hits through four innings, the FGCU bats gave the lefty some insurance runs while taking advantage of an Iowa State error, capped by a Fournet double.

The lead would disappear quickly in the fifth as ISU tallied four runs on three hits and one error to tie the game, but the Eagles got it right back.

Morgan Sutherland (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) put FGCU back in front on an RBI single to score Tourtillott and the sophomore came around to score on White's pinch-hit RBI double that also brought in Innamorato.

Randolph (8-3) did the rest, striking out three over the final two innings to complete the win. The sophomore struck out nine batters over seven innings, while walking three.

GAME TWO: FGCU 1, IUPUI 2
Fournet put FGCU in front in the first, bringing Huff home on a double to right but that would be all for the Eagles offensively against the Jaguars, who scored twice in the second to take a 2-1 lead.

Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) scattered eight hits the rest of the way to keep FGCU in it, however the bats remained silent until the fifth. Emily Demurias (Miami, Fla./Killian HS) tried to spark a two-out rally with a bunt single only for the junior to be left at first.

Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS) came on in relief in the seventh and escaped a bases loaded jam to keep the score 2-1, giving FGCU one last chance.

Ashley Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) reached on a dropped third-strike but once again, FGCU could not string together the hits needed to complete the comeback.

UP NEXT
FGCU has off tomorrow before taking on Canisius and Iowa State on Saturday.

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 recently enters his 15th 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 (557-279-3). 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.