FORT MYERS, FL – Hosting Team Japan in an exhibition contest Saturday evening, the FGCU Softball Team came away with a 7-5 triumph over the No. 2 ranked team in the world.

"Our kids played as well toe-to-toe with the second best team in the world so I can't be more proud of them," head coach David Deiros said. "It was a great experience and the turnout we had was fantastic for this community to see that kind of softball being played."

Japan took a 2-0 advantage in the very first inning but not only did the Eagles respond quickly, but they also took the lead. After back-to-back singles from Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, FL/Bartram Trail HS) and McKenna Batterton (Norco, CA./Eleanor Roosevelt HS), Kate Kelly (Cape Coral, FL/North Fort Myers/Seminole State College) brought in Davenport with a single. Shortly after, with Batterton and Kelly in scoring position, a knock up the middle from Racquel Fournet (Windermere, FL/Windermere Preparatory School) made it a 3-2 game.

Over the next two frames, Japan would scratch two runners across to make it 4-3 in their favor. The big inning for FGCU came in the bottom of the fifth as they registered four runs on three hits. A successful squeeze bunt from Ahnie Jumper (Clewiston, FL/Plantation American Heritage) brought home Diane Servideo (Naples, FL/Gulf Coast High School/Coker College) – who reached on a single to left, then stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Morgan Greco (Winter Springs, FL/Oviedo HS/Indian River State) reached on a fielder's choice as Marcella Parrado (Tampa, FL/Leto HS/College of Central Florida) smacked a single to right to put two runners on with two outs. Up next, freshman Kyleigh Taylor (DeLand, FL./DeLand HS) dug in and launched a three-run home run over the left-field wall to give the Eagles a 7-4 lead.

Japan scored a run in the seventh and loaded the bases with two outs off freshman Emily Hess (Endwell, NY/Maine-Endwell HS), but a pop fly to left ended the contest, giving FGCU a 7-5 win over the second-best team in the world.

The Eagles utilized five pitchers, with sophomore Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, FL/Atlantic Coast HS) the starter who went two innings, followed by senior Riley Randolph (St. Petersburg, FL./Northeast HS) throwing the third frame, Morgan White (Ocala, FL./Forest HS) tossed innings four and five, Marissa Mesiemore worked the sixth inning with Hess throwing the seventh. Randolph and White each recorded one strikeout.

Up Next
FGCU heads across Alligator Alley for the FAU Strike Out Cancer Tournament taking place Feb. 23-24 where they will face the hosts for one game and UConn twice. 

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 17th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 617-318-3 (.665) overall mark, 13 seasons with a winning record, and nine 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.