FORT MYERS, Fla. – After sweeping a midweek tilt against the USF Bulls, who were receiving votes at the time, the FGCU softball team is off to a program-best 6-0 start as the Eagles welcome Oakland University for a doubleheader beginning at 5 p.m. tomorrow.
 
LAST TIMEOUT
Runs were at a premium in game one against the in-state rival Bulls, but with the Eagles striking in the bottom of the first, it proved to be enough for junior pitcher Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS). In her second start of the season, Randolph (2-0) tossed her 30th career complete game, surrendering just three hits while fanning three batters and allowed no walks in the 1-0 victory.

In game two, the FGCU offense used a pair of homers to surge past USF 4-1. LuLu Newmark (Pembroke Pines, Fla./American Heritage HS/Bowling Green) tied the ballgame at one with a solo shot in the third, while Ashley Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS)'s two-run homer in the sixth broke the tie en route to the 4-1 win.

Through six games, FGCU pitching has not only been dominant, but also very stingy to its opponents. In a rotation that features four pitchers, the Green and Blue are ranked fifth in the nation in ERA (0.33) and have held opponents to a mere .168 batting average. A pair of newcomers have shined for the Eagles as Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, Fla./South Humpter HS) is 3-0 in the circle while Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS) has registered five saves in as many games.

SCOUTING THE GOLDEN GRIZZLIES
Oakland enters Wednesday's contests with a 2-2 mark after kicking off its season last weekend in Clearwater, Fla. In four games thus far, the Golden Grizzlies have tallied eight multiple base hits including two homeruns from Cammie Brummitt, who also leads the team in total bases (12). 

Six members of the Black and Gold have all seen action in the circle this season. They are led by returning starters Hayley Bartholomew and Haley Zemmer who have garnered Oakland's two wins.  

Head coach Lauren Cognigni is in her first season with Oakland, as well as her first head collegiate coaching job overall.

FGCU is 6-1 all-time against Oakland, winning the last six contests. The last meeting between both teams came back in 2016, where the Eagles picked up three wins in three days.

Ticket Information
Single game tickets and 18 entry Season Punch Cards are on sale now.  Single game tickets are good for all games occurring on a single day and are $7 for adults (age 13 and up) and $5 for youth (ages 3-12).

The Season Punch Card costs only $59 and allows 18 entries into the Softball Complex for any regular season home game. Punches can be used in any combination until the pass is exhausted. For those interested in purchasing tickets, contact the FGCU ticket office at 239-590-7145 or visit FGCUTickets.com.

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 16th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to 12 seasons with a winning record, eight campaigns with 35 wins and a win percentage of .659 (579-298-3). 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