FORT MYERS, Fla. - The FGCU softball team returns home to host both Chattanooga and Jacksonville for two three-game series starting Thursday through Sunday at the FGCU Softball Complex.
FGCU (15-12) enters the six-game homestand after a 2-3 showing in Tampa at the USF Tournament. Throwback Thursday's first pitch against the Mocs is scheduled for 6 p.m. with a doubleheader to follow on St. Patrick's Day Friday at 5 p.m. Wear FGCU green as pot of gold candy will be available at the marketing table.
The Eagles then welcome Jacksonville for its ASUN opener and Title IX: Women in Sports Day on Saturday with another doubleheader beginning at 4 p.m. FGCU will close out the three-game series with the Dolphins on Sunday at 1 p.m. as kids 12 and under get to run the bases postgame.
All six games will be streamed on EagleVision. Individual watch links for a specific game can be located on the 2023 softball schedule at FGCUAthletics.com. Tickets can be purchased online at the FGCU Ticket Office and at the Alico Arena Box Office. Admission is free for FGCU students, faculty, and staff with valid Eagle I.D. No pets or emotional support animals are allowed at the FGCU Softball Complex. Only certified service animals are permitted.
FGCU ranks sixth in the nation in total stolen bases with 67, and No. 14 in steals per game, averaging 2.48. Nevada holds the nation's top mark in total steals with 88. Against Saint Francis, FGCU set the single-game school record with 12 stolen bases.
Freshman Emily Chiarella (Lutz, Fla./Steinbrenner HS), freshman Olivia Black (Fort Pierce, Fla./Fort Pierce Central HS), and sophomore Avery Viancos (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona HS) each have each recorded 14 stolen bases this season -- tying for second in the ASUN Conference and 25th nationally. FGCU is 0-6 on the year in games without a stolen base and a perfect 10-0 in games with three or more.
The Eagles' power hitters still reside within the ASUN's top five in total RBIs, as graduate Tayli Filla (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot HS/USF) is fourth with 21, while sophomore Kayleigh Roper (Venice, Fla.Venice HS/Michigan State) is fifth at 19. Both Roper and Filla are tied for fourth in the conference in overall home runs with four apiece. The Green & Blue is 5-2 when hitting a home run.
In the circle, senior Ally Hulme (Safety Harbor, Fla./Sickles HS/State College of Florida) is 15 strikeouts away from surpassing Sarah Lawton to moving into FGCU's all-time top 10 list in career strikeouts. Hulme leads all Eagles in totals wins with five, junior Angelina Bonilla (Coral Gables, Fla./Coral Gables HS) paces the Eagles in strikeouts with 45.
Chattanooga is 12-7, having won its last three contests and was an NCAA Tournament team a season ago. The Mocs will close out the Maderia Beach Invitational on Wednesday with matchups against both Princeton and Lehigh before battling the Eagles.
Six-time Southern Conference Head Coach of the Year Frank Reed is in his 22nd season at the helm of Chattanooga softball, and recently recorded career win No. 700 in a 5-0 shutout victory over Detroit Mercy on March 5.
Senior infielder Emily Coltharp was named the SoCon Preseason Player of the Year. Both Chattanooga pitchers Peja Goold and Alyssa Landis have been named SoCon Pitcher of the Week this season. Goold leads all the Mocs in total strikeouts with 41. Coltharp is averaging .323, is second in hits with 21, and has five stolen bases.
Jacksonville enters the weekend 12-11 coming off a 9-0 defeat to No. 4 Clemson. On Wednesday, Jacksonville will travel to face South Florida for a doubleheader in Tampa before heading down to the City of Palms for the ASUN opener.
The Dolphins were picked to finish 10th in the ASUN Preseason Coaches Poll. Jacksonville is fourth in the league in home runs per game, averaging 0.52 per contest. Of the 12 homers, junior infielder Allison Bratek leads all Dolphins with five.
The Dolphins are near the bottom of the conference when it comes to earned run average, 12th at 3.97, but sophomore pitcher Ashlee Harwood was selected by Australia Softball for the 2023 Women's National Squad.
In 2022, FGCU took the series in Jacksonville, winning a decisive game three. The Eagles hold a 33-9 all-time record against the Dolphins and are 2-1 when facing Chattanooga.
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.
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 721-409-3 (.636) 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 FGCUCampus 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 96 conference 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 48 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. Nine FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport -- including women's basketball (No. 20 in 2021-22 and No. 22 in 2022-23), baseball (No. 20 in 2023), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as five 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 3.66 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2022 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 27 consecutive semesters. The past seven semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 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.
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