The Student News Site of Florida Gulf Coast University

Eagle Media

Eagle Media

Eagle Media

FGCU Softball Goes 4-1 in Clearwater

FGCU+Softball
(EN Photo / Brad Young)

The FGCU softball team (24-5) finished up their portion of the Clearwater Tournament with a record of 4-1. The Eagles swept day one with 2-1 wins over Chattanooga (14-17) and St. Joseph’s (9-10) and split on day two with a 3-5 loss to Maine (9-14) and a 4-2 win over Lehigh (4-15) before concluding with a 6-2 win over Princeton (1-13). With the games, the Eagles are now 2-1 against the Mocs, 1-0 against the Hawks, 3-2 against Maine, 1-0 against Lehigh, and 1-0 against Princeton.
“Really nice team win to end the weekend,” stated head coach David Deiros. “We played well in all facets, I thought we pitched it well and we played some good defense when Princeton put some good pressure on us. I also thought we hit the ball hard all over the field today which really made a difference for us. Great way to end the weekend, we’re ready for a couple of good mid-week games and see if we can get ready for our first conference tilts.”
In game one against the Mocs, Derios sent junior Riley Randolph to face Allison Swinford. In the second inning, the Mocs scored the first run off of the Eagles on an RBI double from Devan Brown.
Swinford held the Eagles scoreless until the sixth inning. Starting with an infield single from senior Kelsey Huff, junior Racquel Fournet would tie the game with an RBI double driving in Huff. With Fournet reaching third, junior Brooke Clemens would send Fournet home  with a sacrifice fly that would be the decider for the game.
Randolph would get her ninth win after throwing 5.1 innings, giving up one run on seven hits while striking out four batters.
Freshman Taylor Bauman, who entered the game in the sixth inning, earned her 13th save of the season and threw 1.2 innings, giving up one hit and striking out one batter.
Sophomore Kate Kelly had the Eagles’ only multi-hit game as she went 2-3. Huff and Fournet had the other two hits. Senior Ashley Swiderski added a stolen base to the mix.
For game two, Deiros sent freshman Marissa Mesiemore to pitch against St. Joseph’s Ashley Ventura.
The Eagles would score first. After Huff singled and stole second and Fournet singled bringing Huff to third, junior Bri Bennett, despite going 0-3 in the game, drove in Huff for an RBI groundout.
By the fourth inning, the Hawks would then tie the game on a fielding error. The Eagles would then get the momentum they needed to win the game. After senior Erica Ward began with a lead-off walk, sophomore Morgan White, who entered the game as a pitcher in the sixth inning, provided a sacrifice bunt to move Ward to second. After Kelly hit an infield single, Huff would then reach on a fielder’s choice before Ward was called out trying to go to third, bringing up Fournet to drive Kelly in for the game-winning run after a fielding error on the Hawks.
Mesiemore was credited with a no-decision after throwing 5.1 innings, giving up the lone Hawks unearned run on three hits while walking two batters and striking out three.
White was credited with her fourth win of the season after throwing 1.2 innings while giving up one hit and striking out three. Kelly had the Eagles’ only multi-hit game as she went 2-3. Huff, Fournet, Clemens, Swiderski and senior Brittany McGuire had one hit each. Morgan also added a stolen base.
On day two, Deiros sent White to pitch for FGCU while Maine sent Lilly Volk to counter White.
In the first inning, White was able to get the first out after a lead-off walk, but after drawing another walk, Derios would pull White and send freshman Marissa Mesiemore to pitch. After putting in Mesimore, the Black Bears struck first after an RBI double from Alyssa Derrick.
The Eagles remained scoreless until the third inning. After a lead-off double from senior Emily Demurius and an infield single from Kelly, Huff would smack a triple to left center bringing in Demurius and Kelly. Fournet would follow with a sacrifice fly bringing in Huff to give the Eagles a 3-1 lead.
The Eagles held the lead until a three-run shot from Maine’s Maddie Decker gave the Black Bears a 4-3 lead. The Black Bears added one more run as Erika Leonard hit a bases-loaded single. From there, the Eagles did not score anymore and the Black Bears would win.
Mesiemore would be credited with her second loss of the season as she threw 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on eight hits while walking two batters and striking out four.
Kyleigh O’Donnell, who came in relief for Volk, would earn her second win after throwing 4.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits, walked three batters and striking out three.
Huff went 3-4 with two RBIs and one run. Huff also added a stolen base. Kelly, Fournet, Clemens, McGuire and Demurius had one hit each. Kelly also added two stolen bases.
Hoping to bounce back from the loss, Deiros sent Randolph back on the mound to face Lehigh’s Parker Boyd. The Eagles would drive in the first run at the top of the fourth. After back-to-back walks drawn from Huff and Fournet, Bennett would drive in Huff on a sacrifice fly. The Mountain Hawks would then tie the game after an RBI single from Rachel Timberman. By the sixth inning, the Mountain Hawks would take the lead after Nicole Yozzo hit an RBI single of her own.
Going into the seventh, Clemens would hit a two-out single before freshman Riley McCarthy came in to a pinch run. Swiderski would then hit a single putting McCarthy at third for senior Erica Ward. The SCF transfer would tie the game for the Eagles with an RBI single. Freshman Ashley Biddle would bring the Eagles back in the lead after reaching on a fielding error while Swiderski scored. Kelly would then bring in Ward for the fourth run which would be the decider.
Randolph would earn a no-decision after throwing five innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out four.
Bauman would earn her second win of the season after throwing two scoreless innings, giving up one hit while walking one and striking out one.
Boyd would be credited with her eighth loss as she threw a complete game, giving up four runs on eight hits while walking three and striking out eight.
Kelly and Swiderski had two hits and a run each. Huff, McGuire, Clemens and Ward had one hit each. Huff also added a stolen base.
Wrapping up on the final day, Deiros sent Mesiemore to pitch against Princeton’s Allie Reynolds. The game was scoreless through two innings, but the Eagles opened up with a four-run third inning. Beginning with a lead-off bunt single from Kelly, Fournet would then drive Kelly in with an RBI triple. After McGuire walked, Clemens would then hit a two-RBI double bringing in Fournet and McGuire. Ward would follow with an RBI double of her own bringing in Clemens to give the Eagles a 4-0 lead. The Tigers attempted to mount a comeback scoring two runs on an Eagle fielding error and an RBI single, but it was all the Tigers could produce. The Eagles were able to add two more runs in the sixth inning. After back-to-back singles from Kelly and Huff and a walk from Fournet, McGuire would drive in Kelly and Huff on a sacrifice fly before the Eagles secured the final inning.
Mesiemore earned a no-decision after throwing 3.2 innings, giving up two runs on five hits while striking out two batters.
White earned her fifth win after throwing 1.1 scoreless innings.
Huff went 3-4 with one run scored. Huff also added one stolen base to the mix. Kelly and Ward had two hits each while Fournet, Clemens and Swiderski had one hit each.
The Eagles return to action as they face Marshall in a doubleheader on (date?) at 5 and 7 P.M.

Story continues below advertisement
Leave a Comment
More to Discover

Comments (0)

All Eagle Media Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *