FORT MYERS, Fla. – FGCU softball dropped a pair of games Friday in a doubleheader defeat to Liberty, 6-2 and 5-0.
In Friday's losses, FGCU fell to 13-27 overall and 6-11 in the ASUN, suffering its fifth-straight loss. Liberty improved to 30-13 overall and remains unblemished in the ASUN at 14-0, the only ASUN squad that remains undefeated in league play.
"Proud of how the we battled through adversity today not knowing if we would even get game two in," head coach David Deiros said. "Our pitching staff kept us in both contests with outstanding performances against a stellar offensive squad. We were a few situational hits away in making it a different story. Ready to come back out tomorrow to celebrate our seniors on Senior Day with a victory."
In game one, the Eagles soared ahead early, scoring runs in both the bottom of the first and the third.
Emily Estroff singled up the middle to plate Reedy Davenport for the Eagles' first run of the ball game. An RBI-single by Cana Davis in the third made it 2-0 FGCU, tallying her 26th RBI of the season.
Through four complete, the Green and Blue held steady to a 2-0 advantage. Ally Hulme kept the first-place, offensive juggernaut of a Flames squad quiet until a four-run fifth. Liberty would add two insurance runs in the seventh for its eventual 6-2 game one victory.
Hulme (9-11) pitched 5.0 innings, surrendering four runs on eight hits and fanned three.
The start of game two was delayed until 7 p.m. due to continual lightning in the area. The pause in play did not cool off the Flames. Liberty tallied double-digit hits in game two, 10. FGCU's lone game-two hit occurred in the first inning courtesy of McKenna Batterton.
Game two was scoreless through three, but a three-run fourth and a two-run fifth was enough for the Flames to eliminate Eagle threats. For the day, Liberty outhit FGCU 20-7.
Riley Oakes was credited with the game two-loss for FGCU in the circle. Oakes tossed 4.0 innings, allowing three runs on four hits.
Game three of the final three-game home set of the season is scheduled for noon on Saturday as FGCU will honor nine seniors for Senior Day.
On-field ceremonies for Senior Day Saturday will begin at approximately 11:40 a.m. The Green and Blue will be honoring the contributions of Reedy Davenport, Ashley Hayes, Kacie Huber, Tayli Filla, Davis, Hope Hernandez, Estroff, McKenna Batterton and student manager Dustin Snyder.
The FGCU eight-member Class of 2022 has been instrumental in winning over 80 games and qualifying for two ASUN Tournaments, as well as capturing the 2021 ASUN South Division crown.
FOLLOW ALONG
For up-to-the-minute information on the FGCU softball program, follow on Twitter @FGCU_Softball and Instagram at fgcusoftball and stay tuned at FGCUAthletics.com.
COACH DEIROS
The founding father of FGCU softball,
David Deiros is in his 20th season as head coach during the 2022 campaign. Hired in 2001 to build the program from the dirt up, Deiros has since guided the Eagles to a 701-391-3 (.640), going 166-103 (.617) in the ASUN, having 15 seasons with a winning record, and nine campaigns with 35 wins. Deiros is a former head coach at the 1998 Florida State Runner-up Lely High School in Naples and is the founding head coach of the 1999 District Champion/2001 Regional Runner-up Gulf Coast High School in Naples.
E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 90 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 14+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 10 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 44 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 25 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2021) each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA in each. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 - being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
