JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Needing to bounce back from a difficult day yesterday the FGCU softball team claimed a 5-2 victory over UNF Sunday afternoon. The Eagles (21-16, 3-3 ASUN) took the weekend finale and prevented an Osprey (21-15, 2-1 ASUN) sweep behind 10 hits and a solid performance in the circle.

"Our kids rose to the challenge and played really well in all aspects," said head coach David Deiros. "We were able to salvage the final game of the series, which was the goal. We'll look to use this as a springboard for next week."

FGCU got on the board first on an Ashley Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) ground out to score Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS). The key hit came in the second, a Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) triple that scored two to push the lead to 3-0. After UNF scored twice over the next two innings, FGCU held a slim 3-2 advantage heading into the seventh. Bri Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) gave Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) a three-run cushion with a two-run single, and the left-hander closed out the ball game to seal the win.

After dropping both ends of a doubleheader yesterday the Eagles started the finale of the three-game series with a one out single from Lopez followed by another base hit off the bat of Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School). With runners at the corners, Swiderski manufactured the first run of the ballgame on a ground ball to second, allowing Lopez to come home.

Morgan Sutherland (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) started the second inning with a one-out single, followed by a Bree Tourtillott (Dixon, Ill./Oregon HS/Tallahassee Community College) walk. Huff then provided the big hit, finding the gap in right-center to bring both runners home and putting Huff at third.

After UNF scored once in the second, FGCU loaded the bases in the third with two outs but came up empty allowing the Ospreys to cut the lead to 3-2. Two errors in the inning proved costly, as UNF used both to scratch across the run, but a double play ball ended the inning to limit the damage.

Neither side was able to produce much until the seventh when a UNF error allowed Lopez to reach, resulting in two more runs for the Green and Blue. Following a Fournet walk and a sacrifice bunt, Innamorato found the hole between third and short, bringing both runners home to increase the lead to 5-2.

Randolph found herself in a bit of trouble in the bottom of the seventh, allowing the first two runners to reach but a strike out and two ground outs ended the game.

The left-hander finished the day with two strikeouts and no walks, allowing just one earned run for her 12th win of the season.

UP NEXT
FGCU returns home to face the defending tournament champions USC Upstate in a crucial ASUN series. The three-game series begins Saturday April 8 with a doubleheader before the two sides meet Sunday April 9. The finale also marks Senior Day for four graduating seniors.

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 (561-282-3). 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.