FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team (12-10, 3-0 ASUN) trailed 4-0 after the first before posting crooked numbers in the fifth and seventh inning to get the walk-off win over Stetson (4-9, 0-3 ASUN), 7-6, Sunday afternoon.

"We haven't played a conference game in a little less than two years so it was nice to get back out there," said head coach David Deiros. "This series was just a representation of what the ASUN conference is in softball, they're always hard-fought battles and we were able to come out on top in each of the three games. Today was a typical game between Stetson and FGCU. It was a back-and-forth battle and whoever has the last opportunity, usually takes advantage of it, so I'm glad it was us."

In the process, the sweep also gave Deiros his 150th ASUN victory since joining the conference in 2008. 

Stetson's three of five hits on the afternoon came in the top of the first as the Hatters took a 4-0 lead via a grand slam by Jordyn Stanfill.

FGCU remained scoreless until the bottom of the fourth where they produced three hits for one run. Singles from Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS) and Haley Morrell (Tampa, Fla./Academy of Holy Names) put runners on the corners. Ashley Hayes (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) pinch ran for Bauman and then scored as Abbey Thomas' (Fort Myers, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy) pop fly in center field was dropped. In the next bottom half, FGCU pushed across three runners to tie the game, 4-4.

Ryley Topliff (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS) was hit by a pitch and Johneisha Rowe (Avon Park, Fla./Sebring HS) slapped a single through the right side. From there, Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, Fla./Bartram Trail HS) cleared the bases with a double to left-center. Two batters later, Morrell brought Davenport home on a base hit to center field. After a scoreless sixth frame, Stetson regained the lead in the seventh scoring two runs.

Trailing 6-4 heading into the final bottom inning, FGCU completed the comeback registering three runs on three hits and one Stetson error.

Rowe led off with a single and came home thanks to another double from Davenport. A sac bunt from Bauman moved Davenport to third with one out as Morrell plated her home with her fourth hit of the day. A fly out to center field put two outs on the board but an intentional walk to Farley Callaghan (Ponte Vedra, Fla./Ponte Vedra HS) and a five-pitch walk to McKenna Batterton (Norco, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt HS) loaded the bags.

That's when Jordyn Gendron (Tampa, Fla./Wharton HS) battled through a six-pitch at-bat and popped one up to the second baseman as it was dropped, scoring in pinch-runner Arielle Fears (Melbourne, Fla./Melbourne HS) for the win.

Starting pitcher Sarah Lawton (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross HS/FSW) earned the no-decision after tossing 5.0 innings, scattering four hits with one walk while striking out four Hatters. Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, Fla./South Sumter HS) gets the win after 2.0 innings of work, with one earned run, two walks, and one strikeout.

At the plate, Morrell finished her day going 4-for-4 with two RBI as Davenport went 2-for-3 with two RBI.

Up Next
FGCU will host North Florida for a three-game series starting with a single game on Saturday, Mar. 20 at 6 p.m. The doubleheader will take place Sunday, Mar. 21 at 1 p.m.

ASUN Standings 
 
South Division

Place	Team	ASUN	Overall
1.	FGCU	3-0	12-10
2.	North Florida	2-1	8-11
3.	Jacksonville	1-2	13-7
4.	Stetson	0-3	4-9

North Division

Place	Team	ASUN	Overall
1.	North Alabama	3-0	13-4
2.	Kennesaw State	2-1	8-11
3.	Lipscomb	1-2	10-10
4.	Liberty	0-0	17-9
5.	Bellarmine	0-3	4-11

 
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 673-355-3 (.654), going 150-90 (.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 85 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.