2023 FGCU softball stats | 2023 FGCU schedule
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU softball team concluded the FGCU Invitational on Sunday in spectacular style: with a 10-6, walk-off grand slam victory over FAU.
With bases loaded and one away in a 6-6 tie, graduate student Tayli Filla (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot HS/USF) launched a 1-2 pitch over the left-field wall to propel the Eagles to its walk-off victory.
Sunday's walk-off over the Owls (5-5) marked the second such win of the season for FGCU. The Green & Blue posted a 4-2 record throughout the weekend, only dropping a pair of decisions against Middle Tennessee State.
"We fell behind early in both games today and fought back to win," said FGCU head softball coach David Deiros. "That's all you can ask for. Overall, it was another successful weekend as tournament host and our 4-2 record won the invitational."
FGCU also recorded a 9-3 victory over Power Five and ACC opponent Boston College on Sunday. After hosting two tournaments to begin the 2023 season, FGCU is now 7-4.
The Green & Blue fought through a sluggish start against FAU -- as the Owls opened with three runs to begin the final game of the day. FGCU timely answered with two runs in the second to make it 3-2.
A four-run fourth gifted FGCU a 6-3 lead, but the Owls would battle back – tying it 6-6 in the sixth.
Minutes later, Filla sent the FGCU Softball Complex into a frenzy to conclude the weekend. Filla extended her hit streak to 11 games on a bunt-single earlier in the contest, and she has produced at least one hit in all 11 games thus far this season. Filla leads the Eagles in total hits with 14, and sports a .368 batting average so far in 2023.
In a game that saw 28 hits, FGCU produced a season-high 15. Six different Eagles tallied two or more hits against the Owls. FGCU also produced a season high in runs scored.
Senior Ally Hulme (Safety Harbor, Fla./Sickles HS State College of Florida) was credited with the pitching victory, her third of the season. Junior Angelina Bonilla (Coral Gables, Fla./Coral Gables HS) controlled the Owls' offensive attack for five innings of relief, surrendering only two runs and striking out five.
Earlier Sunday, FGCU handily defeated Boston College (6-4). The Green & Blue fell behind early once again, as the East-coast Eagles struck first with two runs in the third.
FGCU caught fire in the fourth, scoring six runs for a 6-2 advantage. FGCU piled on three more runs in the following inning to lead 9-2 through five. Boston College could only muster a solo home run in response the rest of the way.
Hulme also earned the win against Boston College, pitching six innings and allowing only three runs.
Nine different Eagles produced a hit against the ACC pitching staff. Filla, sophomore Kayleigh Roper (Venice, Fla./Venice HS/Michigan State) and senior Neely Peterson (Wesley Chapel, Fla./Cypress Creek HS/Colorado State/Santa Fe College) each connected for doubles.
FGCU hits the road for the first time this season Wednesday, traveling to Tampa to face USF in a midweek doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
For up-to-the-minute information on the FGCU softball program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_Softball, Instagram at fgcusoftball, Facebook, and stay tuned at FGCUAthletics.com.
FGCU Invitational Schedule/Results:
Day 1 (Friday, Feb. 17)
10 AM Lipscomb vs FAU (Lipscomb W, 4-2)
12:15 PM FAU @ FGCU (FGCU W, 5-0)
2:30 PM Lipscomb vs Boston College (Boston College W, 13-2 (5 inn.)
5 PM MTSU @ FGCU (MTSU W, 6-3)
7:30 PM Boston College vs MTSU (Boston College W, 4-3)
Day 2 (Saturday, Feb. 18)
10 AM Lipscomb @ FGCU (FGCU W, 7-2)
12:15 PM MTSU @ FGCU (MTSU, W 5-1)
2:30 PM FAU vs Lipscomb (FAU W, 4-2)
5 PM MTSU vs Boston College (MTSU W, 8-2)
7:30 PM Boston College vs FAU (FAU W, 6-4)
Day 3 (Sunday, Feb. 19)
9 AM MTSU vs Lipscomb (Lipscomb W, 7-1)
11:15 AM Boston College @ FGCU (FGCU W, 9-3)
1:30 PM FAU @ FGCU (FGCU W, 10-6)
COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball, David Deiros enters his 21st season as head coach in 2023. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the ground up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 713-401-3 (.638) record, gone 176-109 (.618) in the ASUN, had 16 seasons with a winning record and nine campaigns of 35+ wins. Deiros has also led the Eagles to three ASUN regular season championships (2008, 2012, and 2016) and one ASUN Tournament title (2012). In 2012, FGCU defeated No. 5 Florida in its first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Last season (2022), FGCU took down both No. 8 Texas and No. 10 Florida once again. 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 (https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/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 https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 94 confererence regular season and tournament titles in just 15-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 47 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. 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 four of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green & 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 26 consecutive semesters. The past six semesters (Fall 2019 – Spring 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative 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.
