FORT MYERS, Fla. – Grace Taylor and Julia Bacoulis combined for a complete game shutout as Florida Gulf Coast softball (13-20, 7-1 ASUN) took the series over North Florida (26-13, 1-7) 2-0 in the second game of Saturday's doubleheader.

Taylor (5-6) got the start and allowed just two hits in four innings. Bacoulis entered in the fifth inning and notched her second save of the year, striking out three and giving up just one hit. The combined shutout was FGCU's first seven-inning shutout of 2026 and the second overall. 

After winning the first game of the doubleheader in what was also a low-scoring affair, FGCU started off the game with a pair of singles from Sietske Drijvers and Mackenzie Leiti. A few batters later, Olivia Black knocked Drijvers in with a single back up the middle to give the Eagles the early 1-0 lead. That run from Drijvers' proved to be all that was necessary for Taylor, Bacoulis and the FGCU defense.

"We're really proud of them," assistant coach Devyn Flaherty said after the wins. "We've tried to flip a new page coming into conference (play), and try to keep the momentum in our dugout as much as possible, no matter who we're playing or what the score is. We know momentum is our friend and team softball is our friend. We've emphasized that to them, and I think they did a really good job of that today."

The Eagles added an insurance run in the fifth inning, when Parris Wiggs hit a double to the right-center field gap to score Drijvers. Buoyed by the extra jolt of energy from the 2-0 lead, Bacoulis retired six of the last seven batters, including two by way of the strikeout, to seal the win.

Macie Hunolt (4-3) was on the wrong side of the pitcher's duel in the second game, as she allowed two runs on six hits over six innings. Caiden Oliva singled and walked for the Ospreys at the plate.

Next, the Eagles will go for the series sweep at 11 a.m. on Sunday.

2026 softball mini plans and single game tickets are on sale 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.

Postgame Notes
– Drijvers went 2-for-2 with a walk, scoring both FGCU runs
– Drijvers improved her on-base streak to 12 consecutive games
– Taylor allowed just two hits in four innings and Bacoulis surrendered only one hit 
– Taylor and Bacoulis combined for the complete game shutout
– The shutout is FGCU's second of the season and first complete game shutout (the Eagles also run-ruled LIU 8-0 in six innings on February 6)
– Wiggs hit an RBI double and Black hit an RBI single
– FGCU leads the all-time series with UNF 33-23
– The Eagles hold a 22-14 record over the Ospreys in Fort Myers
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