JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - FGCU softball split a doubleheader matchup at Jacksonville on Saturday.
The Eagles took game one 7-3 in extra innings (10), but fell in game two 9-5. FGCU is now 2-2 in extra-inning contests this season. The rubber match game three of the weekend series against the Dolphins is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
In the doubleheader split, FGCU is now 15-31 overall and 8-15 in the ASUN. Jacksonville sits at 15-17 and 9-11 in league play.
"We showed resiliency today being able to fight back in both games and to come out on top in an extra-inning affair," head coach David Deiros said. "Emily (Estroff) pitched quality inning after quality inning in relief to allow our bats to lift us to a game-one win. Each final conference victory is huge as we continue to fight for a final qualifying spot in the ASUN Championship. Looking forward to the opportunity to win the series tomorrow."
FGCU plated four runs in the top of the tenth to soar away from Jacksonville during game one. Emily Estroff (2-run HR) and Cana Davis (solo HR) produced back-to-back homers to highlight the four-run, extra-inning frame.
Davis' solo shot marked her 10th of the season, which currently ranks fifth in the ASUN for the most home runs hit this season.
The Green and Blue hit a season-high of four long balls in game one as Reedy Davenport and Neely Peterson also went yard and back-to-back in the fifth.
Jacksonville held a 3-0 lead though four complete in game one until the Green and Blue answered with three-spot to tie, which included the pair of solo homers from Davenport and Peterson.
In the circle, Estroff tossed 6.0 scoreless frames in relief of starter Ally Hulme to earn her second win of the year.
Three Eagles produced two hits the game-one win, Estroff, Davis and Tayli Filla, as FGCU reached the double-digit hit mark of 10.
In game two, the Dolphins struck first yet again, holding another 3-0 advantage through four innings. FGCU answered the bell with a four-run fourth to take a 4-3 lead.
Jacksonville would match the four-run frame to jump back ahead 7-4 after five complete. The Green and Blue pulled within two by pushing across a run in the sixth, but the Dolphins put the Eagles away with two insurance runs en route to a 9-5 game-two victory to tie the series.
Riley Oakes (2-10) was credited with the loss in the circle for the Eagles.
Starter Hulme highlighted the game-two effort for FGCU as she recorded her 100th strikeout of the season.
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 703-393-3 (.640), going 168-105 (.615) 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 92 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.
