MADEIRA BEACH, FL – Playing overall its 1000th game, the FGCU softball team (13-5) used a five-run sixth inning highlighted by Haley Morrell's bases-clearing triple to defeat Houston Baptist (10-7), 8-5, Saturday afternoon.  

"Today was a gutsy performance from our kids to be able to pull off the comeback win," said head coach David Deiros. "Last night we let an inning get away from us but today when that happened, we battled through it and came away with some clutch moments when we needed them. Overall, I am proud of their effort and can't think of a more exciting ending for the program's 1000th game."

The Eagles jumped on the board first as Johneisha Rowe (Avon Park, FL/Sebring HS) led the inning off with a single and a stolen base. Three batters later with two away, Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, FL/Bartram Trail HS) brought Rowe home hitting a high chopper over the pitcher. In the bottom of the second, FGCU added two more runs on two outs.

Hope Hernandez (Tampa, FL/Troy/Chamberlain HS) singled and moved to second on a wild pitch. Up next, Kacie Huber (Dade City, FL/Pasco HS) roped a hit up the middle for the 3-0 lead. After moving to second on the throw, Huber raced to third on a wild pitch. Rowe would bring her home on an infield single to the shortstop.
In the top of the third, the Huskies scored four unearned runs to take a 4-3 lead.

The comeback for FGCU started in the bottom of the sixth. With one out, back-to-back singles from McKenna Batterton (Norco, CA/Eleanor Roosevelt HS) and Emily Estroff (Coconut Creek, FL/Villanova/Coral Springs Charter) got the offense going.  After a fly ball to right was put away, Morrell (Tampa, FL/Academy of Holy Names) cleared the bases with a triple down the right-field line.

Tied now, Huber singled up the middle for the 6-5 advantage. Hannah Shemansky (Lakeland, FL/Santa Fe Catholic) reached first on a wild pitch strikeout as her and Huber advanced one base following a second ball in the dirt. This kept the inning alive for Sammi Poehlman (Ormond Beach, FL/Daytona State/Seabreeze HS) who laced a knock to center for two more runs.

Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, FL/Atlantic Coast HS) entered the game in the sixth inning and would retire six of seven batters she faced en route to her first win of the season.

Up Next
FGCU faces Miami (OH) tomorrow at 11:30 a.m. to cap off the weekend tournament.

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.

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IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!

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 655-342-3 (.657), 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.