FORT MYERS, Fla. - Florida Gulf Coast University softball will face #3/#3 Florida and #9/8 Florida State as part of a road trip against some of the best teams in the state starting with a midweek game in Gainesville on Wednesday before heading to Tallahassee for the Dugout Club Classic to also face the College of Charleston and Mercer.
 
The Eagles are coming off a 1-4 showing at the SpaceU Classic. Allison Sparkman continues to lead the way in the circle. Her ERA this season is 1.68. It has been over a year (Feb 16, 2025) straight where Sparkman's season ERA is below 2.00. Offensively, the Eagles continue to steal bases at a high clip, leading the ASUN with 33 stolen bases.

Florida is ranked No. 3 nationally, receiving first place votes. In their last game they broke many single-game offensive records in a 24-3 win over Iowa State. Taylor Shumaker has been one of the best power threats in the country this year with 10 home runs. Kenda Falby remains as one of the most dangerous players in the country on the base paths, with a perfect 19-for-19 on stolen bases this season. In the circle, Keagan Rothrock and Ava Brown have led the staff with ERAs of 1.17 and 1.58 and WHIPs of 0.84 and 1.13, respectively.

Florida State comes in to the weekend ranked No. 9 in the NFCA Coaches poll and No. 8 in the USA Softball poll. The Seminoles are 11-3 so far this season, only losing to other top 10 teams. Six of the 11 wins for FSU this season have come by way of run-rule including over No. 4 Oklahoma State. Kennedy Harp is explosive at the plate. Harp is slashing .585/.667/1.171. She has done it all with four doubles, triples and home runs so far this year. In the circle, the Seminoles have four pitchers who have put up at least 15 innings pitched. Annabelle Widra leads the staff with a 1.02 ERA and 0.73 WHIP in 20.2 innings pitched.

The Cougars are 3-10 so far this season having yet to venture away from home. Charleston has played one other ASUN school this year, a 3-0 loss to Queens. At the plate, they are led by Jay Wrightsman who has gotten a hit in a third of plate appearances but has yet to walk this season while striking out seven times. Wrightsman is also a perfect 4-for-4 stealing bases and leads the team with six runs scored. Three Cougars pitchers have pitched at least 20 innings so far this season. The lowest ERA on the staff is 4.92 while the lowest WHIP is 1.69.

The Bears are 7-6 this season. FGCU will be the fourth ASUN school Mercer has faced this year. The Bears' schedule features eight games against six ASUN schools. Tori Hedgecock is the most potent bat slashing .423/.595/.962. Hedgecock has 11 hits so far this season, seven have gone for extra bases. In the circle, Grace Roark and Hannah Pitts have pitched the most innings, both with ERAs just over 2.00. They are strikeout pitchers, with Pitts averaging more than one per inning.

Following this weekend, the Eagles return home for a split doubleheader against Saint Francis and FIU before hosting the Spring Break Classic and a Lehigh doubleheader.