BOCA RATON, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (29-12, 3-3 ASUN) rallied in extra innings in game two to split the doubleheader against FAU (22-21, 9-6 C-USA). In game one the Eagles fell 5-4 in nine innings, then bounced back using a three-run homer from Ashley Swiderski before Taylor Bauman secured the 4-1 victory with her NCAA single-season tying 15th save of the year.

"I thought we played 16 really strong innings of softball," stated head coach David Deiros. "Our kids did a great job battling, we had a chance to win both games but to come out of there with a split is a testament to our kids. Congratulations to Morgan White for pitching a gem today and also congrats to Taylor Bauman for tying the NCAA single-season saves record tonight."

In game one, the Green and Blue led 4-3 going into the final inning but FAU knotted the game in the bottom of the seventh and soon walked off on an infield single claiming a 5-4 triumph in the bottom of the ninth. In the nightcap, FAU held a 1-0 margin until the Eagles tied it up in the sixth with an RBI double. Two innings later, Swiderski (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) drilled a three-run bomb to left-center en route to the 4-1 victory and split.

GAME ONE: FGCU 4, FAU 5
Racquel Fournet (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Preparatory School) singled in the top of the first to give FGCU a 1-0 lead but it was short-lived as the home side responded in their bottom half to tie the affair 1-1 and soon jumped ahead 2-1 after an RBI single in the bottom of the second.

With one out and a runner on third, Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) entered the contest for the first time as a pinch hitter and grounded out to short as it pushed a runner across home, making it a 2-2 game. After the Owls once again answered quickly with a run the next half, Erica Ward (Jacksonville, Fla./Trinity Christian Academy/Seminole State College) handed FGCU a 4-3 lead in the fourth frame when she hit a two-run homer to left-center, the senior's first of the season.

The Owls responded in their last inning collecting one run on two hits to send it to extras. After a scoreless eighth and ninth from the Eagles, a walk and a single set the Owls up for the walk-off victory, an infield knock as they took the first game 5-4.

The Eagles produced 11 hits in the losing effort as Ward finished 3-for-4 at the dish with two RBI. Bauman was tagged with the loss after 4.2 innings, scattering four hits and yielding two earned runs.

GAME TWO: FGCU 4, FAU 1
Scoreless are two innings, FAU grabbed the lead first in its bottom half of the third manufacturing one hit as the home side's only run would be scored off a wild pitch. From there on, starting pitcher Morgan White (Ocala, Fla./Forest HS) neutralized the Owls surrendering no hits the rest of her outing, including 11 strikeouts – a season and career best for the sophomore.

FAU held onto to a 1-0 lead until the top of the sixth. Kate Kelly (Cape Coral, Fla./North Ft. Myers/Seminole State) led off the inning with a single and two batters later and two away, Fournet ripped a double to left fielding tying the contest 1-1.

After a scoreless seventh, both teams once again would head to extras as FGCU capitalized in the top of the eighth. Back-to-back singles with one away set up Swiderski as the senior launched a three-run blast to left field – her sixth homer of the year, which leads the team.

Looking for her 15th save of the year, Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS) worked around a single in the bottom of the eighth, inducing a ground ball double play for her 15th save of the season, now just one shy of breaking the NCAA single-season record.

In the circle, White moves to 6-2, tossing seven innings scattering three hits. Swiderski capped off the night going 2-for-4 with three RBI.

UP NEXT
FGCU will welcome preseason favorite Kennesaw State (29-13, 8-1 ASUN) home for a pivotal three games commencing on Saturday, April 14 with the doubleheader starting at 2 p.m. The finale will be played on Sunday at 1 p.m. The Owls currently sit atop the league standings with a two-game lead.

 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 602-310-3 (.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.