FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (11-10, 2-0 ASUN) clinched the three-game series over Stetson (4-8, 0-2 ASUN) Saturday afternoon, taking game one, 5-1, before ending the day with a 4-2 victory at the FGCU Softball Complex.

"It was great to clinch the series today, "said head coach David Deiros. "We know that we will have to come out tomorrow ready to play because Stetson is going to give us everything they have."

Game 1 | FGCU 5, Stetson 1
The Eagles struck in the bottom of the first to go up, 1-0. Johneisha Rowe (Avon Park, Fla./Sebring HS) laid down a bunt single and stole second and third to put herself in scoring position. With one out, Haley Morrell (Tampa, Fla./Academy of Holy Names) skied a ball to center field to bring in Rowe on the sac fly.

Following two scoreless frames, Stetson knotted the affair in the top of the fourth, but FGCU answered back with a three-run bottom half. Reedy Davenport (St. John's, Fla./Bartram Trail HS) smacked a leadoff double and moved to third on a wild pitch. Two batters later, Abbey Thomas (Fort Myers, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy) ripped an RBI double to left-center. Up next, Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS) cranked her third home run of the year to give FGCU a 4-1 advantage.  

In the sixth, Davenport roped another leadoff double to get the offense going. She moved to third two batters later on a pop fly to right field and would score on a wild pitch. Stetson put runners on second and first in the seventh, but a looking strikeout gave starting pitcher Sarah Lawton (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross HS/FSW) her third win of the year (3-1) and third complete game. She scattered three hits on two walks while fanning six Hatters.

At the plate, Davenport and Bauman each finished 2-for-3 as FGCU totaled six hits.

Game 2 | FGCU 4, Stetson 2
FGCU kicked off the scoring in the bottom of the second. Back-to-back walks from Farley Callaghan (Ponte Vedra, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) and McKenna Batterton (Norco, Calif./Eleano Roosevelt HS) started the inning as Ahnie Jumper (Clewiston, Fla./Plantation American Heritage) singled up the middle to load the bags. Pinch-hitter Jordyn Gendron (Tampa, Fla./Wharton HS) then pulled one to left field for the RBI. Two batters later, Davenport walked with the bases still filled for the 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth, Stetson tied the game producing two runs on three hits.

After a scoreless fifth, FGCU added its final two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Jumper singled to center and moved to third on a sac bunt from Maddy Johnson (Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Region HS/FSW). Rowe then knocked one through the right side, putting runners on the corners. Moments later, she swiped second but the catcher sailed her throw past third base in an attempt to tag Jumper, as she scored on the error. Up next, Davenport singled to center field for the RBI, scoring Rowe from third.

In the final frame, Stetson placed two Hatters on the base pads with two away but Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, Fla./South Sumter HS) collected her fourth strikeout on a 2-2 pitch. Mesiemore came in relief and tossed five frames, scattered four hits while walking one. Bauman pitched the first two innings, yielding just one hit with one walk and one strikeout.  

FGCU registered seven hits, with Jumper going 3-for-3 and Rowe ending her day 2-for-3 with a stolen base. Davenport closed out her day going 1-for-1 with two RBI and three walks.

South Division
1. FGCU (11-10, 2-0 ASUN)
2. North Florida (8-9, 1-1 ASUN)
3. Jacksonville (13-6, 1-1 ASUN)
4. Stetson (4-8, 0-2 ASUN)

North Division
1. North Alabama (12-4, 2-0 ASUN)
2. Lipscomb (10-9, 1-1 ASUN)
3. Kennesaw State (7-11, 1-1 ASUN)
4. Liberty (17-7, 0-0 ASUN)
5. Bellarmine (4-10, 0-2 ASUN)

Up Next
FGCU closes out the series against Stetson Sunday afternoon at 1 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 19th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 672-355-3 (.654), going 149-90 (.623) 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 84 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.