OXFORD, Ala. - Florida Gulf Coast University softball defeated the University of North Florida on Friday, 11-5. A seven run third inning propelled the Eagles to victory in the game with the most runs scored against an ASUN opponent since March 26, 2022.
The fast paced third inning started off with a bang when
McKenzie Wittenberg rocketed a single to left center.
Olivia Black would single her home in the next at bat.
After a
Riley Oakes single advanced Black to third, team home run leader
Neely Peterson laid down a picturesque bunt to bring home Black with Oakes advancing to third.
Nikki Gibson would single home Oakes for the third run of the inning.
Tiffany Meek was next up for the Green and Blue reaching base with a single and loading the bases.
Meagan Ricks stepped up to the plate and worked the count until eventually getting hit by the pitch and the fourth run of the inning crossed the plate.
With the bases still loaded, freshman
Sophie Wylie stepped into the box and drove a ball to the center field wall, clearing the bases and capping off a seven run inning.
The Ospreys would get three more back in the third and fifth before the Eagles answered in the sixth. Ricks hit a ball that one hopped the wall and would have been a home run at the FGCU Softball Complex. She got a double on the play but got two more on the board for FGCU.
The seventh inning brought even more insurance for the Green and Blue with
Riley Oakes and
Avery Viancos scoring.
Allison Sparkman got the start for the Eagles going four innings and only allowing one hit.
Up next for the Eagles is a potential ASUN Championship victory in Saturday's game. The Eagles will play either UNF or EKU, who play earlier in the day in the elimination bracket. If FGCU wins that game, they are ASUN Softball Champions. If they lose, they return for a nine a.m. winner-take-all game Sunday morning.
