TAMPA, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast University softball dropped both games of the doubleheader against USF on Wednesday by scores of 12-4 and 5-2.
"The team showed great resilience to put two on the board in the final inning of game two," FGCU head coach
David Deiros said. "To battle so tough after a long day shows tremendous character."
The Eagles put two runs on the board early with true we-gle mentality, sacrificing home the first run of the game and the speed of
Tiffany Meek allowed her to beat the throw home off a bunt to the pitcher.
The Bulls responded with some rage against the machine, going on parade in the next two innings to end the second 4-2 in favor of USF.
FGCU responded in the fourth and it started with a
Nikki Gibson blooper that fell in between the pitcher and second baseman. The speedy Eagles turned that blooper into a double before
Maddox Thomas worked an eight pitch walk.
Emily Chiarella came up and placed a bunt down the third base line that died on the line, allowing everyone to advance to load the bases.
The Green and Blue put together some wily at bats to drive in the next two runs when
Sophie Wylie pulled the first pitch of her at bat for an RBI and
Kendall Wylie placed a ball into left field that found a spot to bring the score level at four.
USF countered with a three-run homer in the bottom of the frame to restore their lead and a five run fifth would eventually lead to the run-rule victory for the Bulls.
The second game started with a scoreless first before the Bulls jumped out to a three-run lead in the second inning.
Both teams' offenses went cold with no base runners reaching in the third or fourth before Gibson drew a walk to extend her on-base streak to 18 games. She has now gotten on base in every series or tournament dating back to the final regular season series against Kennesaw State in 2024.
The Bulls would add two more runs in the fifth and six before FGCU would score two themselves, bringing the final to 5-2.
The Green and Blue return to Fort Myers for the FGCU Invitational from Feb 14-16.
