TAMPA, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast (16-29, 10-8) ended its 2026 nonconference slate with a 9-0 loss at USF (34-15, 15-6 American).

The Bulls scored four runs in the second and third inning, and added one in the fourth en route to the win. Kiley Strott and Toryn Fulton each hit two-run doubles, while Alex Wilkes and Kathy Garcia-Soto each had multi-hit games for USF.

Back-to-back walks opened the bottom half of the second inning, before three consecutive hits put the Bulls in front for good. Sietske Drijvers caught a runner stealing to move to 14 on the season; she's now tied for the second-most runners caught stealing in a single season in FGCU history. Drijvers is three away from the single-season program record with six regular season games and the ASUN Tournament remaining, currently held by Lindsay Ijjas, who threw out 16 runners in 2003.

Carley Ernst threw a complete game one-hit shutout for USF. Olivia Black collected FGCU's only hit of the game with a single in the third inning. Mackenzie Leiti and Parris Wiggs each reached base for the Eagles via a walk.

Next, FGCU returns home for senior weekend against Queens, beginning at 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 25. Senior day is at 1 p.m. on Sunday, April 26. Fans that attend any games at the FGCU Softball Complex can receive a variety of prizes as part of the Spring Cleaning weekend.

2026 softball single game tickets are on sale at https://fgcuathletics.evenue.net/list/SB. 

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