After several close games throughout the weekend, the Eagles’ bats clicked Sunday afternoon to rally a 9-1 victory over Oakland.  After defeating Stony Brook, 10-2 earlier in the afternoon, the Eagles finished their annual FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational with a 2-3 record for the weekend.
“It was a super team effort all around,” said FGCU  head coach Dave Deiros after the win, “we had contributions from everyone on the line up, off the bench, our reserves did a nice job too. Our entire team executed every conceivable point of our game plan. I couldn’t be happier and we’re hoping to build on it for Tuesday.”
The Eagles’ bats were hot in the second inning, earning four hits and bringing in three runs.  With Kasa Castle on first, second baseman Jeanie Verderese sent a nice triple to left center to bring home Castle and put the Eagles’ first runs of the game on the board. Immediately after, outfielder Kelsey Huff singled to right field, bringing home Natalie Lopez and Verderese to set the score to 3-0.
In the third, the Golden Grizzlies answered the Eagles’ 3-0 lead with their first run of the game. A  single from short stop Sarah Hartley to bring in Jackie Kisman would set the score to 3-1 before the end of the inning.

In the fifth, the Eagles extended their lead with a three-run rally against the Golden Grizzlies. The rally began with a single from Micheala Hayes to drive in Carissa LiCata, followed by another run for the Eagles with a double from Jeanie Verderese to drive in Brittany McGuire. With FGCU up 5-1, an error from Oakland’s center fielder turned a Lopez’s single into a triple and drove in two more runs to give FGCU a 7-1 lead.
FGCU wasn’t done just yet. In the bottom of the sixth, the Eagles earned two more runs before closing down the game. Kelsey Carpenter’s single drove in another run, Carpenter later stole home off of a fly out to score the Eagles’ ninth run.
The Eagles move to an overall 6-9 record for the season. FGCU will face Oakland again Tuesday evening in a doubleheader at home beginning at 5 p.m.
 

FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational

Friday, Feb. 20

11:30 a.m. Oakland vs. Stony Brook
Final | Oakland 8, Stony Brook 1
2:00 p.m. Purdue vs. Oakland
Final | Purdue 4, Oakland 2
4:30 p.m. Stony Brook vs. Bethune-Cookman
Final | Stony Brook 3, Bethune-Cookman 2
7:00 p.m. FGCU vs. Purdue
Final | Purdue 10, FGCU 2

Saturday Feb. 21

10:00 a.m. FGCU vs. Bethune-Cookman
Final | Bethune-Cookman 6, FGCU 5
12:15 p.m. FGCU vs. Purdue
Final | Purdue 3, FGCU 1
2:30 p.m. Bethune-Cookman vs. Oakland
Final | Bethune-Cookman 2, Oakland 0
4:45 p.m. Stony Brook vs. Purdue
Final | Stony Brook 3, Purdue 2
7:00 p.m. Oakland vs. Stony Brook
Final | Oakland 9, Stony Brook 6

Sunday, Feb. 22

9:00 a.m.Purdue vs. Bethune-Cookman
Final | Purdue 2, Bethune-Cookman 0
11:15 a.m. FGCU vs. Stony Brook
Final | FGCU 10, Stony Brook 2
1:30 p.m. FGCU vs. Oakland
Final | FGCU 9, Oakland 1