FORT MYERS, Fla. – Behind two stellar pitching performances and timely defense, the FGCU softball team took down Drexel and Cleveland State on the final day of the Battle at the Beach Sunday. FGCU (18-13) defeated Drexel (4-7) 4-3 to begin the day before shutting out Cleveland State (2-25) 2-0 in the finale.

"When runs are at a premium, then you're asking the other two sides of the ball to play better," said head coach David Deiros. "I thought our pitching today was really good for the most part and with the exception of one inning, we were able to make plays. That's a testament to the whole softball team, not just relying on one aspect of it but making sure all three phases are getting better."

Bree Tourtillott's (Dixon, Ill./Oregon HS/Tallahassee Community College) two-run home run in the sixth put the Eagles in front for good after the Dragons scored three times in the top of the inning to lead 3-2. Bri Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) got FGCU on the board first with a two-run double, allowing Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) to earn her seventh win of the season.

Pitching again paved the way as Morgan White (Ocala, Fla./Forest HS) struck out 10 batters en route to her second win of the year. FGCU scored twice in the fourth to provide the run support and complete the sweep on the day.

GAME ONE: FGCU 4, Drexel 3
Wade was in command early, allowing just one single through five innings to give the bats plenty of time to come alive. Those bats picked her up in fourth, when LuLu Newmark (Pembroke Pines, Fla./American Heritage HS/Bowling Green) reached on a walk and Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) reached on an error. With two on, Innamorato doubled down the right field line, scoring both runners.

Drexel took advantage of three FGCU errors in the sixth to take a 3-2 lead but the Eagles quickly regained the lead in the bottom half of the frame.

Newmark once again got the rally started, tripling to right center with one out in the inning, sending Tourtillott to the plate. With a 1-1 count, Tourtillott turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead, hitting a home run to left field.

The Eagles had to work defensively in the seventh to preserve the lead following a lead-off triple. With the tying run 60-feet away, a ground ball to Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) at second was returned home by the senior to Amber Plaza (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot HS/Miami Dade College). The catcher applied the tag for the first out before Plaza threw to Emily Demurias (Miami, Fla./Killian HS), who was covering second where the batter Taylor Kent was attempting to advance. Demurias then chased down Kent between first and second to complete the double play. The very next batter then hit a shallow pop up into center field, where Verderese made a diving catch to secure the win.

Wade scattered four hits, allowing three unearned runs in the contest while striking out three against two walks.

GAME TWO: FGCU 2, Cleveland State 0
Runs were once again at a premium in the finale against the Vikings, but White kept the visitors off the board through her six innings of work and the offense did just enough to finish the weekend on a high note.

After allowing two of the first three batters to reach, White locked in to strike out four in a row and just two hits the rest of the way.

The Eagles put the freshman in position to get her second win of the year in the fourth, an inning that began with a Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) triple. After Fournet and Tourtillott walked, Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) picked up an RBI on a sacrifice fly to left to score the game's first run. FGCU made it 2-0 on a dropped pop up by the shortstop, which proved to be enough for White.

White ended her day with her 10th strikeout, her best output as an Eagle, to wrap up the sixth. Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS) came on to collect her second save of the year, striking out the side to complete the 2-0 win.

UP NEXT
The defending ASUN Conference champions begin league play Saturday with a three-game series against Jacksonville in Fort Myers to conclude the longest homestand of the season.

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 (560-280-3). 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.