FORT MYERS, FL – The FGCU softball team hits the road for the first time this season playing four games in three days.
St. Bonaventure was scheduled to play FGCU Saturday afternoon, but due to a snow storm in the Northeast, the contest has been cancelled.
The Green and Blue
At the top of the order,
Johneisha Rowe (Avon Park, FL/Sebring HS) leads the Green and Blue attack with a .435 batting average, starting 14 of the 15 games thus far.
Mikenzie Vaughn (Kennesaw, GA/FSW/Harrison HS), who is batting .375 is tied for the team lead in RBI with nine and has launched two home runs. On the base pads,
Sammi Poehlman (Ormond Beach, FL/Daytona State/Seabreeze HS) enters the doubleheader with a team-best 10 stolen bases.
In the circle, the FGCU's pitchers have combined for a 1.62 ERA which ranks 16th in the country.
Sarah Lawton (Waterbury, CT/FSW/Holy Cross) holds a 5-1 record while
Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, FL/South Sumter HS) is 6-2. All said, the entire staff is holding opponents to a .203 batting average.
Incarnate Word
Offensively for the Cardinals, who are 7-7 overall, Abby Frank and Kendall McGary have been leading the charge. Frank leads the team in batting (.370) while McGary has been hitting .311 in the leadoff spot. In the circle, six different pitchers have seen action as they've posted a collective 2.95 ERA.
This will be the first meeting between both programs.
Iowa
The Hawkeyes enter the weekend with a 12-2 record and are currently riding a six-game win streak. Nia Carter spearheads the offense with a .567 BA as Haven Monteer (.412) and Kit Rocco (.400) are both hitting above .400. Their five pitchers this year have posted a combined 2.14 ERA with Lauren Shaw boasting a 7-1 record and a 1.46 ERA.
This will be the second all-time meeting (FGCU fell, 11-9, in 2011).
Houston Baptist
The Huskies are 9-6 and are coming off a 3-2 win over Middle Tennessee. At the dish, five Huskies are hitting above .300 led by Jasie Roberts (.395). In the circle, the staff holds a 2.03 ERA. In her 22.2 IP, Lyndie Swanson carries a 0.62 ERA.
FGCU leads the all-time series, 1-0, winning back in 2015, 6-4, in Gulf Shores, AL.
Miami (OH)
The RedHawks are 5-5 overall, most recently taking down Saint Louis, 4-2. In 10 starts this year, Allie Cummins is hitting .412, leading the team in hits (14). In the circle, Courtney Vierstra is 3-2 with a 2.56 ERA in her 43.2 innings of work.
This will be the first meeting between both programs.
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.
E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
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COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros is in his 18th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 653-341-3 (.656), going 147-90 (.620) in the ASUN, having 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.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 81 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just eight-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty-one consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall semester saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
