JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Playing on the road for the first time during ASUN Conference play the FGCU softball team suffered a pair of losses to UNF Saturday afternoon. The Eagles (20-16, 2-3 ASUN) fell 2-0 in the opener before the Ospreys (21-14, 2-0) claimed the second game 6-4.

"We did not handle our environment or execute," said head coach David Deiros. "We paid the price. We finally showed some signs of life in the 14th inning of play and we hope to carry that into tomorrow."

Two costly errors sent FGCU to a 2-0 defeat to UNF to open the day. FGCU's best chance to push across a run came in the second with the bases loaded and one out, but a double play kept the Green and Blue off the board. FGCU recorded just one hit the rest of the way, as the sides combined for just two unearned runs on 10 hits.

A late rally came up short as the Eagles attempted to overcome a six-run deficit in the final inning. The Eagles and Ospreys were scoreless through two innings before a four-run third put the home side in front. Two more Osprey runs around an Eagle thrown out at the plate sent the Green and Blue into the seventh trailing 6-0. FGCU plated four runs in the seventh but the rally would fall short.

GAME ONE: UNF 2, FGCU 0
A quiet afternoon at the plate for both teams sent FGCU to a 2-0 defeat to open the first road conference series of the 2017 season. Despite recording four hits in the opener, FGCU had a chance to tie the game in the second after falling behind 1-0 after one.

Consecutive singles from Ashley Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) and Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) put FGCU in a dangerous position trailing 1-0 following a costly error in the first inning. Morgan Sutherland (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) continued the trend, sending a single to center field to load the bases. However, FGCU would leave a pair on the bases after a double play ended the inning.

After a stressful first inning, Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) settled in, retiring nine of the next ten batters she faced following back-to-back base hits to lead off the ballgame. In the bottom of the fourth, Randolph faced a potentially game-changing situation. The Ospreys put runners at the corners with one out in the inning before the left-hander induced a pop out for the second out. Following an intentional walk, Randolph recorded just her second strikeout of the game to keep the deficit at 1-0.

UNF capitalized on another FGCU error in the fifth, a dropped foul ball that led to a walk and a 2-0 Osprey lead.

FGCU collected one last hit in the final two innings, a Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) single, as FGCU dropped the series-opener 2-0.

Randolph (11-4) allowed two unearned runs on six hits, striking out two.

GAME TWO: UNF 6, FGCU 4
Hoping to change its fortunes from game one, FGCU immediately put two runners on in the form of Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) and Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) for the heart of the FGCU order. The Eagles however came up empty handed, stranding both runners.

Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) returned the favor, keeping the Ospreys off the board after the home side put a runner at second with nobody out and the senior left two more on the bases in the second to keep the game scoreless.

UNF broke through in the third, scoring four runs on four hits and the Ospreys added another in the fourth to make it 5-0.

FGCU threatened in the sixth, putting a pair of runners on for Morgan White (Ocala, Fla./Forest HS). The freshman delivered with a single to left, but a perfect throw home kept FGCU off the board and ended the inning.

With runners at first and second, Fournet delivered with a single to load the bases. A fielder's choice kept the bases loaded, but brought FGCU to its final out. Swiderski gave the Green and Blue new life with a bases-clearing double to right-center. McGuire later made it 6-4 on a single to center but the rally ended there.

Wade (7-8) suffered the loss, conceding four earned runs on nine hits.

UP NEXT
FGCU looks to prevent the sweep when the Eagles and Ospreys meet in the finale Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m.

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 (560-282-3). 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.