Box Score FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast softball (3-3) won its first game of the FGCU Eagle Invitational 4-3 in 10 innings over Hofstra (0-2) on Friday afternoon.

The 10-inning marathon win was FGCU's first extra-inning game since May 11, 2024, and the longest game by innings the Eagles have played since May 9, 2024. Mackenzie Leiti ended the 2 hour, 59 minute contest with a pinch hit, bases-loaded, walk off walk that scored Nikki Gibson.

FGCU and Hofstra got to the tenth inning after trading runs in the eighth and zeroes in the ninth. Julia Bacoulis (2-1) entered in the ninth and posted a pair of scoreless frames for FGCU.

In the bottom half of the tenth, K'Mari Williams got on base with a bunt single that moved Gibson, the ghost runner, to third. The Pride issued an intentional walk to Tiffany Meek to load the bases, and Leiti drew an eight-pitch walk for the win.

The game started as a pitchers duel with no score through the first four innings. Sietske Drijvers finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth with a bloop single to right field that scored Olivia Black from second base.

The Eagles and the Pride traded runs from there to level the game at 2-2 to force extra innings. Both squads scored their "ghost runner" in the eighth inning to bring the game to the 3-3 tie before Leiti's walk-off.

Drijvers finished with a pair of hits, including the RBI single. Madison Steppe (0-1) threw every pitch for Hofstra.

With the win, FGCU leveled the all-time series with Hofstra at 4-4. 

Next, the Eagles play the second half of their Friday doubleheader against Louisiana Monroe (3-4).

2026 softball season tickets, mini plans and single game tickets are on sale now at https://fgcuathletics.evenue.net/list/SB. 

For more information on FGCU Softball, follow @FGCUSoftball on Instagram, X (Twitter) and Facebook, and visit fgcuathletics.com.