LEESBURG, Fla. – The FGCU softball team's (7-8) bats exploded in an offensive outburst Friday afternoon as the Eagles defeated South Dakota (2-6) by a final score of 21-3 at the Sleepy Hollow Complex.

The 21 runs are tied for the third-most in program history while the 18 hits tied for the sixth-most all-time.

"I was really glad to have our entire team back at full strength today," said head coach David Deiros. "Proud of their effort, so we'll see how the rest of the weekend plays out."

Following a scoreless first inning, the FGCU offense woke up at the Sleepy Hollow Complex with six runs on six hits and two errors from the South Dakota side in the top of the second. Haley Morrell (Tampa, Fla./Academy of Holy Names) ignited the charge hitting a one-out two-run single with the bases loaded. Three batters later, Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, Fla./Bartram Trail HS) laced an RBI single down the right-field line as two more Eagles came across on the wide throw from the outfielder. Abbey Thomas (Fort Myers, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy) capped off the frame with a single to left, scoring Davenport.

In the top of the fourth, a season-high 11-run inning made it a 17-0 contest – of the eight hits in the frame, Davenport produced two. On top of that, three different Eagles manufactured at least two RBI – Hope Hernandez (Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain HS/Troy), Maddy Johnson (Lake Wales, Fla./Lake Region HS/FSW), and Amaya Gainer (Tallahassee, Fla./Chiles HS)

The only runs of the game for USD came off the bat Skylar Arellano, a three-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fourth.

FGCU's final runs arrived in the top of the fifth. Ryley Topliff (Fort Myers, Fla./Fort Myers HS) led off the inning with a walk as Ashley Hayes brought her in with a triple to right-center. Up Next, Johneisha Rowe (Avon Park, Fla./Sebring HS) singled to bring Hayes home. Rowe stood on second following a base hit from Davenport – eventually, put out on the force at second – then scored after another throwing miscue from South Dakota. Two batters later with runners on the corners after Thomas walked, a ground ball from Kacie Huber (Dade City, Fla./Pasco HS) would score Gainer from third.

In her first start this season, Sarah Lawton (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross HS/FSW) scattered three hits, fanned five batters while giving up one walk in her five innings of work.

At the plate, Davenport became the first Eagle this season to record four hits (4-for-5) in a game and became the third Eagle so far with three RBI in a contest.

Up Next
FGCU is set to take on Middle Tennessee (3-7) Saturday at 10 a.m. followed by New Mexico State (5-10) at 12:30 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 19th season as head coach. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 668-353-3 (.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 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.