FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team snagged two more games Saturday evening as the Eagles took down Georgetown (0-4), 5-0, followed by a 5-1 win over LIU (2-2) to end the night at the FGCU Softball Complex.

"We had two really good wins tonight and I just like the way we are competing in all aspects," said head coach David Deiros. "In the first game with Marissa, we got on [Georgetown] early and then we couldn't sustain that momentum but we were able to pitch and defend through it. Against LIU, they came out and hit us in the mouth. If McKenna doesn't make that play in center, that's a big first inning and a big hole for us to be in. Sarah settled down after that so I'm really proud of our kids for the effort."

FGCU 5 | Georgetown 0

Leadoff hitter Sammi Poehlman (Ormond Beach, Fla./SeaBreeze/Daytona State) started off the bottom of the first with a single and swiped second. McKenna Batterton (Norco, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt) bunt singled to put runners on the corners. Poehlman was caught in a rundown at home during a fielder's choice off the bat of Haley Morrell (Tampa, Fla./Academy of Holy Names) but a RBI single from Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, Fla./Bartram Trail) scored Batterton. Facing two outs, catcher Ahnie Jumper (Clewiston, Fla./Plantation American Heritage) hit a two-run double to left-center to cap off the frame.

FGCU tacked on another run in the bottom of the second, highlighted by a Batterton double that brought home Kacie Huber (Dade, City, Fla./Pasco HS). A five-run lead was more than enough for Marissa Mesiemore who retired the last nine batters she faced. The junior righty finished the night tossing six innings, striking out nine Hoyas in the process as she moves to 2-0. Emily Estroff (Coconut Creek, Fla./Coral Springs Charter/Villanova) worked the final frame, sitting down the Hoyas in order.

Batterton capped off the game going 4-for-4 with one double, three singles and an RBI.

FGCU 5 | LIU 1

The Sharks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first as FGCU would be held scoreless until the bottom of the fourth. In that frame, the Green and Blue used two hits on two errors to jump ahead 2-0. Johneisha Rowe (Avon Park, Fla./Sebring) singled and hustled to second on the first error as she scored with Morrell reaching on the frame's second throwing miscue. Three batters later, Hope Hernandez (Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain/Troy) brought pinch-runner Hannah Shemansky (Lakeland, Fla./Santa Fe Catholic) home from third with a knock to left.

Holding onto the narrow lead, pitcher Sarah Lawton (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross/FSW) began to settle down and got three insurance runs in the sixth from the Eagles off a trio of hits. Hernandez came away with an RBI single while Maddy Johnson (Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Region/FSW) produced two runs with her base hit to center.  

Lawton moves to 2-0 after tossing a complete five-hit game while striking out three Sharks. Rowe finished 3-for-3 with a run scored and a stolen base, Hernandez went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored.

Up Next
FGCU caps off the tournament with a battle against UConn (2-2) Sunday afternoon at 1:30 p.m.

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 646-337-3 (.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 80 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ 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 both men's soccer, women's soccer, and women's basketball again in 2018-19. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in spring 2018 and have outpaced their institution's undergraduate student body GPA each of the past 20 semesters. 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. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.