FORT MYERS, Fla. –
Emily Chiarella goes 3-for-5 on the day as Florida Gulf Coast University softball wins the Atlantic Sun Conference opening doubleheader against Jacksonville by scores of 3-2 and 4-1.
FGCU set another top mark in the country when
Kalista Birkenstock and Chiarella swiped a bag today as the first team in DI this season to have five players who have stolen at least 10 bases.
Avery Viancos,
Tiffany Meek and
Olivia Black eclipsed the threshold prior to today's games.
The Eagles started the day with a two-run first inning. After Viancos slapped a ball past the third baseman to get on to first, Black stepped up to the plate. The defense was playing her in and Black put the ball over the center fielder's head, bringing Viancos home and reaching third herself.
Maddox Thomas rounded out the scoring in the first when she put a hard hit ball to second that took a bad hop, allowing her to reach first safely.
The Dolphins would tie it up in the second and third before
Sophie Wylie would drive in the winning run in the fourth.
Allison Sparkman and
Victoria Ash combined for the win in the first game. Sparkman bounced back in the second game for the complete game win allowing only four hits and two walks.
Jacksonville got an early lead after a single to the pitcher, a stolen base and a passed ball allowed a runner to third before the run came across on a grounder to third.
Eagles' bats remained largely quiet for the game until the fifth inning. Chiarella reached base with another single that bounced over the third baseman's head.
Camryn Feast came in to pinch hit. Feast was in an 0-2 count after fouling off three pitches before sending a ball into the home bullpen over the left field wall to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
Black and Viancos would get on base and get into scoring position before Thomas added to her team high RBI total with a single that found a spot down the right field line to score Black and Viancos for the 4-1 win.
The Green and Blue wrap up the series against Jacksonville at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
