FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (25-6) claimed a 4-3 comeback victory in game one versus Marshall (13-14-1) but fell in its final match of the evening 8-4 Wednesday night at the FGCU Softball Complex.

"A couple of hard-fought ball games," said head coach David Deiros. "A little disappointed to come out on the losing end of the second one but we got to see ourselves make some adjustments. We put our self in a position to win but we'll do better in those situations, again, we had a chance to close it out and you got to give Marshall a lot of credit in that last inning. But we did some things that we are going to go ahead and work on over the next few days so we're ready for Stetson and the start of conference play."

After four innings in the first contest, FGCU trailed the Thundering Herd 3-1 but a two-run blast from Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) in the sixth inning including one more RBI in the seventh gave the Eagles a needed cushion in the 4-3 final. Tied 1-1 entering the bottom half of the fourth, FGCU tallied a run apiece in the fifth and sixth but Marshall rallied in its final at-bat producing seven runs as FGCU fell 8-4.  

GAME ONE: FGCU 4, MARSHALL 3
The visitors gained the first lead of the contest producing three runs on four hits with one defensive error in the top of the third to take a 3-0 advantage. One inning later in its bottom half, FGCU chipped away at the deficit as Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) led the inning off with a triple. One batter later in the three spot, Fournet laced an RBI single through the shortstop for the Eagles' first run.

Approaching the sixth and still trailing 3-1, it was the top of the order once again for the Green and Blue that kick-started the offense. Huff singled and advanced to second on an errant throw from the shortstop to put herself in scoring position. Up next, facing a 2-0 count, Fournet launched her third homer of the year over the right-field wall to tie the game, her third RBI of the contest.

Quick work was made of the Thundering Herd in the top of the seventh as the visitors went down in order. Looking to finish the contest before extras, a single and two walks (one intentional) loaded the bases for Fournet with one out. Ahead 2-1 in the count, the junior ripped a liner to center field securing the walk-off triumph for the Eagles as she finished 3-for-4 with all four RBI in the final.

Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) tossed her third complete game in the process and moves to 10-2 this season, scattering six hits, fanning six batters while allowing three runs (one earned).

GAME TWO: FGCU 4, MARSHALL 8
FGCU struck first as Fournet kept her hot bat going in game two hitting an RBI double to right-center for the 1-0 lead. In its next top half, Marshall responded facing two outs pushing a runner across for the 1-1 tie.

The contest remained tied until the bottom of the fourth where FGCU went on to tally one run apiece in the fifth and sixth. In the fourth, Ashley Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) scalded an RBI double to center with two outs for the 2-1 margin. One inning later, Bri Innamorato (Mullica Hill, N.J./Bishop Eustace HS) added to the lead with a solo shot to left, her second homer of the season. Finally, in the sixth, Swiderski registered her second RBI of the night, this time lacing a single to left scoring in Ahnie Jumper (Clewiston, Fla./Plantation American Heritage) who was a pinch running and was moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt.

After entering the circle in the top of the fifth, Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS) looked to close it out but the Thundering Herd had other plans. Trailing 4-1 facing one out, Marshall broke out with a seven-run frame, connecting on five hits on top of one FGCU error to take a stunning 8-4 lead. The Eagles could not recover, going down in order in the final frame in the nightcap defeat.

Bauman gets tagged with the loss moving to 2-1 on the year. Swiderski finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI.

UP NEXT
FGCU starts its ASUN slate welcoming Stetson on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. and will play the final game on Sunday 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 is in his 16th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 598-304-3 (.660) overall mark, 12 seasons with a winning record, and eight campaigns with 35 wins. 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.