FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (3-4) bounced back after yesterday's loss to NIU (2-2), taking them down in the afternoon rematch, 5-3, before ending the night handing UConn (3-1) its first loss of the season.

"I'm really happy for our players, they've been through a lot, especially the last few weeks," said head coach David Deiros. "I'm really proud of my staff; Ashley, Jeff, Ellie, and Dustin did yeoman's work today. We control our own destiny and can win the tournament if we match this performance tomorrow."

Game 1 | FGCU 5, NIU 3
The Eagles wasted no time scoring, plating home four runs on three hits and three errors from the NIU side in the first frame. Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, Fla./Bartram Trail HS) led off by hitting a liner to right field as the ball popped in and out of the fielder's glove, making her way to third base. Hope Hernandez (Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain HS/Troy) would bring Davenport in with a double to center field as Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS) singled to right to put runners on the corners.

Up next, Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, Fla./South Sumter HS) hit one through the left side, plating home Hernandez with Bauman trotting to second. This allowed Maddy Johnson (Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Region HS/FSW) to reach on a fielder's choice to second but she advanced to second because of a throwing error – Bauman scored on the play, Mesiemore was out on the force at second.

Two batters later, Jordyn Gendron (Tampa, Fla./Wharton HS) reached on first with a fielding error at shortstop, allowing Johnson to score the fourth run of the inning. In the very next inning, Davenport singled to right field as Hernandez and Bauman loaded the bases with a pair of fielder's choice plays. Another fielder's choice to the shortstop from Mesiemore plated home Davenport from third.

NIU scored once in the third and made the contest interesting in the final half, scoring two runs on three hits highlighted by a two-run double. With a runner on second and the tying run at the plate, Bauman forced a grounder to Hernandez at second to cap off the game.

The senior pitcher tossed her second career complete game en route to a 2-0 record. She yielded 10 hits on three runs while striking out one Husky. Davenport went 2-for-3 with two runs scored as Mesiemore produced a pair of RBI, going 1-for-3.

Game 2 | FGCU 3, UConn 1
Just like their game against NIU, the Eagles opened up the scoring in the first frame. Hernandez doubled with one out and was plated home on an RBI single to center field by Mesiemore with two outs.

In the bottom of the fourth, FGCU added an unearned run for a 3-0 lead. Back-to-back singles from Johnson and Gendron got things going as freshman Amaya Gainer (Tallahassee, Fla./Chiles HS) moved them both into scoring position with a sac bunt to first. Up next, Hannah Shemansky (Lakeland, Fla/Santa Fe Catholic) hit a dribbler to the pitcher which was bobbled, allowing Johnson to touch home plate.

Up until the top of the fifth, Mesiemore had retired 12 consecutive batters before an error ended the streak. That batter would eventually score on UConn's first hit of the night, four Huskies later, on a single down the left-field line with two away.

It was more than enough for the right-hander as she gave up just one hit over the final two frames – UConn brought the tying run to the plate in the sixth – to earn her first win of the season (1-3) in the complete-game effort. Mesiemore conceded just three hits, one walk, and fanned three batters. She also finished 2-for-3 at the plate with one RBI.

The other RBI came off the bat of Bauman who finished 1-for-2.

Day Two Tournament Results
NIU def. FIU, 1-0
UConn def. FIU, 3-1

Up Next
FGCU will play a doubleheader Sunday afternoon taking on UConn (3-1) at 11:30 a.m. followed by FIU (3-3) at 2 p.m. in the tournament finale.

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
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 19th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 664-349-3 (.653), going 147-90 (.620) in the ASUN, having 14 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 83 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 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 (No. 24, 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 (APR) in their sport and have had the highest percentage of teams so honored from these two groups over each of the past three years. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each 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.5:15 p.m. The Eagles will then face FIU (3-0) after at 7:30 p.m.