SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Meeting each other for the first time since the 2017 ASUN Championship final, the RV FGCU softball team (27-9, 2-3 ASUN) battled it out in two tough games to RV USC Upstate (24-12, 5-3 ASUN), ultimately falling 5-1 and 4-2 Friday evening at Cyrill Stadium.

"We were on the losing end of two tough ball games tonight," said head coach David Deiros. "But I am happy with the way our players competed today. We still get a chance for a rematch tomorrow and we're looking forward to it."

An unearned run put USC Upstate on the board first as both pitchers were in a duel until USC Upstate used a two-run fourth to pull away in the 5-1 Final. In game two, FGCU manufactured the first two runs of the affair highlighted by Ashley Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS)'s second home run of the afternoon. It would not be enough as the home side scratched two runs in the third and one apiece in the fourth and fifth to take the opening games.  
  
GAME ONE: FGCU 1, USC UPSTATE 5
An unearned in the bottom of the first got the Spartans on the board first. After a throw that got away from Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, Fla./Northeast HS) put runners on the corners, the Spartans stole home for the first run.

It wasn't until the bottom of the fourth where the contest saw its first hit from either team. Kara Beasley led off the frame with a solo home run and a sacrifice fly two batters later made it 3-0 in favor of Upstate.

Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer HS) registered the Eagle's first hit in the fifth, but FGCU would strand two and come up empty. The Spartans pushed two more runners across in their respective fifth and sixth innings, highlighted by Megan Obier's home run in the sixth.

The only run of the game for FGCU came off the bat of Swiderski who drove the first pitch she saw into left field. It was the senior's fourth homer of the season.

Randolph (12-3) tossed six innings, scattering five hits while yielding four earned runs. Huff finished 2-for-3 at the plate with two singles.

GAME TWO: FGCU 2, USC UPSTATE 4
Swiderski carried over her power from game one putting the Eagles on the board first in the top of the second. Facing a 2-2 count, the senior launched her fifth home run of the year to left field giving FGCU a 1-0 lead. One inning later with a runner on, junior Brooke Clemens (West Rotunda, Fla./Lemon Bay HS/Florida) went to the opposite field and peppered an RBI double off the right-center wall to extend the lead up 2-0.

The lead was short-lived as the very next inning the Spartans responded tying the contest at 2-2, on three hits, including a double steal at home.

After the Green and Blue stranded a runner on base in each of their next halves, Upstate pushed a runner across in its fourth and fifth inning to break the tie for the 4-2 advantage.

Looking to have one more crack at it in the seventh, FGCU threatened putting runners on first and second on a pair of singles. With two outs, the home side escaped the jam, collecting the final out on a strikeout as the Eagles fell, 4-2.

Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, Fla./South Sumter HS) gets tagged with the loss (8-3) after four innings of work, surrendering three hits and three earned runs.

At the plate, FGCU produced 12 hits – second most in a game this season – as Swiderski and Racquel Fournet each finished 3-for-4 scoring one run apiece. 

UP NEXT  
FGCU will look to rebound in the series finale set for 1 p.m. Saturday afternoon.  

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 600-307-3 (.665) 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.