KENNESAW, Ga. – The FGCU softball team (20-13) opened the day defeating Bellarmine (5-19) by a score of 7-0 before falling to Kennesaw State (16-18), 8-0, in six innings.

"We were the aggressors in game one which is why we won it easily," said head coach David Deiros. "We were on the defense in game two which is why [KSU] won it easily. We will learn from it and compete again tomorrow."

Game 1 | FGCU 7, Bellarmine 0
FGCU struck right away scoring two runs in the bottom of the first. Johneisha Rowe (Avon Park, Fla./Sebring HS) was hit on a 1-1 pitch and stole second. After a pop fly to left made it one out, Reedy Davenport (St. Johns, Fla./Bartram Trail HS) cranked her first home run of the year down the left-field line to give FGCU the 2-0 lead. In the third frame, the Eagles ballooned their lead to 6-0, thanks to a grand slam off the bat of Taylor Bauman (Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS).

Back-to-back singles from Rowe and McKenna Batterton (Norco, Calif./Eleanor Roosevelt HS) got the inning going as Davenport walked to load the bags. Up next, Bauman drilled a 3-2 pitch to left-center for her team-leading fourth homer of the year. FGCU's final run came in the next inning as Batterton brought home Rowe on a base hit to center, plating Rowe from second.

In the circle, Marissa Mesiemore (Bushnell, Fla./South Sumter HS) limited Bellarmine to four hits while fanning four Knights with no walks in her six innings of work. She moves to 11-4, giving her a new single-season career-high in wins. Bauman tossed the final frame, sitting the Knights in order with three-straight grounders.

FGCU totaled seven hits as Rowe (2-for-3, three runs) and Batterton (2-for-3, RBI) each recorded two hits. Davenport ended the game going 1-for-2 with two RBI and two runs scored.

Game 2 | KSU 8, FGCU 0
It was a scoreless game following the Eagles top half of the fourth until KSU tacked on a five-spot in its half, using three hits and one error. The Owls ended the contest in the sixth, plating home three runs on four hits to hand FGCU an 8-0 loss.

The Eagles produced three hits, one from Batterton, Emily Estroff (Coconut Creek, Fla./Coral Springs Charter/Villanova), and Hannah Shemansky (Lakleland, Fla./Santa Fe Catholic).

In the circle, Sarah Lawton (Waterbury, Conn./Holy Cross HS/FSW) was tagged with the loss, moving her record to 6-4. She scattered six hits on five runs (one earned) while walking two and striking out one. Bauman tossed 1.1 frames, giving up three runs on five hits with three walks and one strikeout.

Up Next
Due to impending rain in the Kennesaw area, FGCU will play one game Saturday morning against Lipscomb (11-12). The first pitch is set for 9:30 a.m.

Recent Results (Friday, Apr. 9)
KSU def. Bellarmine, 7-1. 

ASUN Standings 
 
South Division

Place	Team	ASUN	Overall
1.	FGCU	10-2	20-13
2.	Jacksonville	7-5	19-11
3.	North Florida	5-7	13-18
4.	Stetson	2-10	6-16

North Division

Place	Team	ASUN	Overall
1.	Kennesaw State	7-2	16-18
2.	Liberty	4-2	23-12
3.	North Alabama	5-4	17-11
4.	Lipscomb	2-4	11-12
5.	Bellarmine	0-6	5-20

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 681-358-3 (.655), going 157-92 (.630) 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.