DELAND, Fla. – In the 40th all-time meeting between the FGCU softball team (24-17, 13-3 ASUN) and Stetson (8-22, 3-13 ASUN), the Eagles claimed game one, 4-3, Friday evening at Patricia Wilson Field.

"Gutsy victory by our team after a tough travel day," said head coach David Deiros. "We got two more games tomorrow to get some things worked out."

FGCU got on the board in the top of the first as a leadoff single by Johneisha Rowe started things off. She then moved to second on a grounder from McKenna Batterton (Norco, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt HS) before scoring on an RBI double from Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, Fla./Bartram Trail HS). Stetson would tie the game in the bottom half with an RBI single to right and took the lead (2-1) in the second on an FGCU error.

The Eagles snagged the 3-2 lead in the top of third producing two runs on two hits. Rowe singled and stole second as Batterton put runners on the corners with an infield base hit to short. Two batters later, Haley Morrell (Tampa, Fla./Academy Holy Names) plated home Rowe on a grounder to third. Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS) kept the frame alive with a walk, and on a double-steal attempt; Batterton sprinted home before Bauman was out at second on the rundown.

In the fifth inning, Morrell reached on an error with two out as Bauman singled to left. Up next, Hope Hernandez (Tampa, Fla./Chamberlain HS/Troy) doubled to left for the 4-2 lead. Stetson though brought it to a one-score game in its bottom half with an RBI single up the middle.

FGCU tried to add insurance in the top of the seventh but left the bases loaded. It was enough for Sarah Lawton (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross HS/FSW) though, as she earned the three-inning save fanning her first two batters before inducing a pop fly to left – second save of the year. She scattered two hits on one run with four strikeouts. Starting pitcher Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, Fla./South Sumter HS) yielded four hits on two runs (one earned) with two strikeouts.

FGCU produced 10 hits with three Eagles recording an RBI. Hernandez (2 2B, RBI), Rowe (2 R, SB), and Batterton (R, SB) all finished 2-for-4. Davenport and Morrell collected the two other RBI.

Up Next
FGCU will close out the series Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.

ASUN Standings

South Division

Place	Team	ASUN	Overall
1.	FGCU	13-3	24-17
2.	Jacksonville	9-9	23-16
3.	North Florida	9-9	17-20
4.	Stetson	3-13	8-22

North Division

Place	Team	ASUN	Overall
1.	Liberty	13-2	33-12
2.	Kennesaw State	10-2	22-20
3.	North Alabama	5-7	17-14
4.	Lipscomb	5-7	16-16
5.	Bellarmine	0-15	6-29

 
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 685-362-3 (.653), going 160-93 (.632) 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 39 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.