DELAND, Fla. – An offensive explosion led to a season-high 13 runs in a vital 13-3 victory for the FGCU softball team in the rubber match against Stetson Sunday afternoon. Led by five RBIs from Bri Innamorato, the Eagles (24-27, 6-8 ASUN) plated 13 runs against the Hatters (26-18, 4-11) to take the series and move one step closer to clinch a spot in the ASUN Tournament.

"We hit the ball hard and hit the ball consistently and took advantage of their mistakes," said head coach David Deiros. "Bri Innamorato had a phenomenal weekend and Huff and Jeanie played really well all weekend long. We were able to extend a couple innings and pile on. Riley was her usual efficient self and she did not a nice job of making sure they didn't make hard contact. They came out on a mission today and put the game away early."

After being shut out in game two, the Eagles jumped on Stetson in the first inning for four runs. Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) reached on a single to right before moving to second on an error. Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) stepped to the plate with the bases loaded two batters later and drove in the first of her five RBIs on a single to center. A fielder's choice and a bases loaded walk allowed two more runs to cross the plate before Bree Tourtillott (Dixon, Ill./Oregon HS/Tallahassee Community College) hit a sacrifice fly to left, bringing Innamorato home for the 4-0 lead.

Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) then worked around a lead-off walk to keep Stetson off the board, allowing the Eagles to tack on in the second. Singles from Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla./Creekside HS) and LuLu Newmark (Pembroke Pines, Fla./American Heritage HS/Bowling Green) brought Innamorato up to bat and the junior delivered with a three-run home run to left to make it 7-0 Eagles.

With the Green and Blue already in control of the game, Randolph made quick work of the Hatters in the second and the Eagles put the game out of reach in the third.

Huff started the rally with a one-out single and came around to score on a Newmark bases loaded single. After Innamorato drove in her fifth run on a bases loaded walk, Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) reached on a hit by pitch to give FGCU a 10-0 advantage. Morgan Sutherland (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS), Tourtillott and Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian HS) chipped in with RBIs, ultimately putting the Eagles in front 13-0 following a six-run third inning.

Stetson scored twice in the fourth and once more in the fifth, all of which were unearned before Randolph finished off the ballgame with a ground ball to third. The left-hander earned her 14th win of the season, striking out one over seven innings.

Huff, Verderese, Newmark and Innamorato all tallied two hits in the win.

UP NEXT
The Eagles close out the year with a three-game series at home against Lipscomb beginning May 4.

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 (568-295-3). 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.