FORT MYERS, Fla. – The 2017 ASUN Conference campaign got off to a similar start as the 2016 title-winning season as the FGCU softball team split its doubleheader Saturday. This time facing the Jacksonville Dolphins, the Eagles (19-14, 1-1) came away with a 6-2 victory before dropping a 3-2 decision to the Dolphins (21-13, 1-1) to end the day.

"Two good softball games," said head coach David Deiros. "The key in the first game was when we answered back and got those three runs to expand the lead. We didn't do a good job in game two of stopping them after we took the lead and that's the difference in the two ballgames. We just have to come out tomorrow and win the series."

A pair of home runs from Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) propelled the Eagles past Jacksonville in game one. The sophomore drove in four runs, including three on a go-ahead blast to center in the third inning to put FGCU in front for good. Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) worked herself out of bases loaded jam in the seventh, striking out two before forcing a game-ending ground out.

Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) put FGCU in front 2-1 in the fourth inning with a long home run moments after FGCU tied the ballgame. The visitors however responded with two runs of their own in the top of the fifth, regaining a slim lead. FGCU left two runners on the rest of the way, falling 3-2.  

GAME ONE: FGCU 6, Jacksonville 2
The Dolphins scored first, on a two-out RBI single in the third but the Eagles responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning. With one on and two out in the inning, Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) kept the frame alive with a bunt single, sending Fournet to the plate. After missing an extra base hit in her first at-bat, the sophomore drilled a home run over the wall just to the left of straight-away center field to put FGCU up 3-1.

The Dolphins got a run back in the fifth, scoring on a two-out double before Randolph ended the inning with her fourth strikeout of the day to limit the damage.

Following another strikeout in the sixth from the lefty, FGCU tacked on some insurance runs.

On the first pitch of the inning, Fournet hit her second home run of the day, this time to right field, to make it a 4-2 ballgame. FGCU done, scoring twice on a Morgan Sutherland (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) pinch-hit double to the gap in the left-center, giving the Eagles a 6-2 advantage.

Jacksonville loaded the bases with nobody out in the seventh but Randolph struck out the next two batters before forcing a ground ball end the game.

Randolph (10-3) ended the game with seven strikeouts against three walks, allowing two runs on six hits.

Fournet went 2-for-3 with four RBIs on two home runs to lead FGCU.

GAME TWO: Jacksonville 3, FGCU 2
Trailing 1-0 following an unearned run in the second inning, Ashley Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) got the Eagles going in the fourth with a one-out triple to right field. Bri Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) brought her in on a sacrifice fly bringing McGuire to the plate. The junior wasted no time, crushing the first pitch she saw over the wall in right center to put FGCU in front 2-1.

Jacksonville got both runs back immediately, scoring twice on four hits in the fifth.

The Eagles had a chance to tie or take the lead in the bottom half of the frame, but left two runners on.

That would be all for the Green and Blue the rest of the way, falling 3-2 in the nightcap.

Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) suffered the loss, allowing two earned runs on six hits with two strikeouts.

UP NEXT
FGCU goes for the series win tomorrow at 1 p.m. against Jacksonville.

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 (561-281-3). 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.