FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team will host Liberty this Easter weekend for its final home series of the 2022 season.
The Eagles will square off against the Flames in a scheduled doubleheader on Friday beginning at 5 p.m. Game three of the series is set for 12 p.m. on Saturday as FGCU will honor nine seniors for Senior Day.
On-field ceremonies for Senior Day Saturday will begin at approximately 11:40 a.m. The Green and Blue will be honoring the contributions of Reedy Davenport, Ashley Hayes, Kacie Huber, Tayli Filla, Cana Davis, Hope Hernandez, Emily Estroff, McKenna Batterton and student manager Dustin Snyder.
The FGCU eight-member Class of 2022 has been instrumental in winning over 80 games and qualifying for two ASUN Tournaments, as well as capturing the 2021 ASUN South Division crown.
Entering the weekend, FGCU's strength of schedule ranks No. 30 in the nation. In the all-time Eagles versus Flames series record, FGCU trails Liberty 3-2. The last Eagle win over the Flames occurred back in 2014.
The Green and Blue stand at 13-25 overall and 6-9 in the ASUN after suffering a series sweep on the road to Stetson last weekend. Liberty enters Easter weekend against FGCU 28-13 overall and undefeated in the ASUN at 12-0. On Tuesday, the first-place, East Division Flames lost to No. 2 Virginia Tech 8-1, snapping a 14-game win streak.
FGCU currently sits fourth in the ASUN East behind third-place Stetson at 8-4.
The top three teams from each ASUN division will earn an automatic berth into the eight-team ASUN Championship. The selection of the seventh team will be determined by comparison of fourth-place divisional finishers based on winning percentage in all ASUN games, divisional and crossover. The eighth team will be determined by comparing the remaining fourth-place divisional finisher with the opposite division fifth-place finisher.
To determine tiebreakers, the ASUN will use the criteria below in order:
1. Head to Head. Compare tied teams' (two or more) win-loss percentage versus all teams involved in tie.
2. Common ASUN Opponents. Compare tied teams' (two or more) win-loss percentage versus all common ASUN opponents.
3. NCAA sport-specific metric. Compare tied teams' (two or more) RPI available on the day following the conclusion of ASUN regular season play.
Statistically, redshirt senior Davis ranks third in the ASUN this season in batting average (.396) and fourth in home runs (8). Davis also holds team-leading eight multi-hit games, six multi-RBI games and a .771 slugging percentage. Riley Oakes is the lone other Eagle batting over .300 alongside Davis.
In the circle, Eagles ace Ally Hulme is 9-11 on the year with a 2.71 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 113.2 innings of work. Oakes has also posted two wins in the circle.
SCOUTING LIBERTY
Liberty was voted the preseason favorite in the ASUN coaches' poll, receiving 11 first-place votes.
Offensively, Liberty's bats have been on fire. In ASUN contests, the Flames lead the conference in batting average (.325), on base percentage (.403), slugging percentage (.552), runs scored (85), home runs (18) and in RBIs (79). The Flames' 5.85 runs per game ranks top 50 in the country at No. 43.
Defensively, Liberty's 1.62 conference ERA is tied for 2nd in along with Central Arkansas, however, the Flames pace the ASUN in strikeouts per seven innings at 7.68. Liberty's earned run average ranks No. 26 in the nation.
The 2022 ASUN Preseason Pitcher of the Year in Emily Kirby and the Preseason Player of the Year in Kara Canetto have helped the Flames achieve league-leading numbers thus far.
Canetto is batting .289 on the year and leads Liberty in steals with nine. Kirby is 6-4 in the circle behind a 2.55 ERA and 74 strikeouts. However, Karlie Kenney leads the Flames' pitching staff with a 14-6 record, tied for the league lead in wins with North Florida's Halle Arends.
At the plate, three Flames are batting .300 or better, Devyn Howard, Mary Clai Wilson and Lou Allen. Caroline Huson's 10 home runs and 35 RBIs this season rank third in the conference.
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.
COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros is in his 20th season as head coach during the 2022 campaign. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 701-389-3 (.641), going 166-101 (.622) in the ASUN, having 15 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.
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!
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 90 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 14+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 10 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 44 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) 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 in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 25 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2021) each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA in each. 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.
