Game One:
Head coach Dave Deiros sent sophomore junior Riley Randolph to mound while Oakland head coach Lauren Cognigni sent sophomore Kayla Marburger to counter.
The Eagles got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first. Senior Kelsey Huff would draw a lead-off walk. After senior Natalie Lopez hit an infield single, Huff would score on a throwing throwing error by freshman Madison Jones while Lopez advanced to third to give FGCU a 1-0 lead.
The Eagles would tack another run in the second. After back-to-back singles from sophomore Kate Kelly and Huff before Lopez fouled out, Cognigni would pull Marburger out of the game and send freshman Emily Karas to the mound. Junior Racquel Fournet would reach on a field error from sophomore Jamie Squires to load the bases for junior Brooke Clemens. Clemens would send Kelly home with an RBI groundout to make it 2-0 FGCU.
The Golden Grizzlies got their first base runner in the fourth on an and their first hit from Jessie Munson. Oakland was able to cash in to trim the margin to 2-1 after a sacrifice fly from junior Brittney Miller to bring in freshman Cammie Brummitt.
Despite giving up the one run in the fourth, Randolph remained calm, cooled and collected.
Going into the fifth inning, the Eagles were able to break it open the runs as they batted around. Kelly would start with a lead-off single before advancing to third on a throwing error. Huff would then send Kelly home before reaching second on a fielding error. Lopez would then send Huff to third after hitting a single before stealing second. After Fournet grounded out, Clemens would send both seniors home with a two-RBI double before freshman Ahnie Jumper came in to pinch run for Clemens. After senior Brittany McGuire reached on fielding error before freshman Haley Morrell came in to pinch run, senior Ashley Swiderski would hit an infield single to load the bases.
Deiros would have junior Bri Bennett come in as the DH. On the first pitch, the Lake Sumter transfer would send a single up the middle bringing in Jumper and Morrell to make it 7-1. This signaled the end for Karas as Cognigni would send junior Hayley Bartholomew to the mound who was able to escape the rest of the inning.
An unfazed Randolph would clean the sixth inning with ease before freshman Marissa Mesiemore closed out the seventh inning.
Randolph would earn her third win after throwing six innings, giving up one run on three hits while striking out six batters.
“It was real team effort.” Randolph said. “I just put the ball in play and allowed our defense to back me up. I wasn’t too worried about blowing it by people and just let my defense work.”
Mesimore threw one scoreless inning while striking out one batter.
Lopez (2-for-3, one run scored, one stolen base), Swiderski (2-for-3) and Kelly (2-for-2) had two hits each.
Clemens went 1-for-3 with a double and three RBIs.
Huff (1-for-2, one RBI, two runs scored, one walk) and Bennett (1-for-2, two RBI) had one hit each.
Munson was the only Golden Grizzly with a multi-hit game as she went 2-for-3 while junior Kelsie Swanson was 1-for-2. Munson and Swanson were the only ones with at least one hit.
Marburger was credited with her first loss of the season after throwing 2.1 innings, giving up two runs on four hits while walking one batter and striking out one.
Karas gave up five runs (four earned) on five hits in two innings.
Bartholomew threw 1.2 scoreless innings while walking two and striking out one.
Game Two:
Deiros would send sophomore Morgan White to the mound while Cognigni sent senior Haley Zemmer to counter.
Both White and Zemmer were in a pitcher's battle until the bottom of the third inning. After senior Bri Innamorato reached first on a throwing error before advancing to third, Lopez would send Innamorato home with an RBI single. After a single from Fournet, Clemens would send Lopez home with an RBI single of her own to make it 2-0 FGCU.
Before McGuire's at-bat, freshman Riley Withrow would come in to pinch run for Clemens, but Fournet would then be called out after being picked off at home. McGuire would then draw a walk for Swiderksi. With a 2-1 count, the Naples local would clock a two-RBI triple and send Withrow and McGuire home to make it a 4-0 lead.
The Golden Grizzlies got right back into the game at the top of the fourth. After a lead-off single from Lauren Pletscher before advancing to second off of a ground out and then third from a single off the bat of junior Jackie Reitmeyer, freshman Lauryn Debono would send Pletscher home while reaching base from a McGuire fielding error. After Brummitt was intentionally walk, this signaled the end for White and Deiros would have Mesiemore come in for relief.
Munson would then drive Reitmeyer home off of another McGuire fielding error. From there freshman Natalie Herrington would clock a two-RBI single to tie the game at 4-4 before Miller struck out to end the top half of the inning.
The Eagles would regain the lead in the bottom half of the fourth. Freshman Farley Callaghan would start with a lead-off single before Kelly came in to pinch run. Kelly would then steal second before advancing to third on a passed ball. After Innamorato struck out, Huff would send Kelly home with an RBI single down the middle to give the Eagles a 5-4 lead.
“It feels pretty awesome,” Huff said. “I think it’s the best start we’ve ever had. We just got to keep it up, be consistent and just keep it going.”
Mesiemore seemed unfazed after giving up the four runs, but in the fifth and sixth inning, she continued on until the seventh inning. Fellow freshman Taylor Bauman would come in for a save situation and was able to close the door with ease.
White and Zemmer would each earn no-decisions. White threw 3.2 innings, giving up four unearned runs on four hits while walking and striking out three batters each while Zemmer threw 2.2 innings, giving up four runs (two earned) on six hits while walking and striking out one batter each.
Mesiemore would earn her fourth win after throwing 2.2 scoreless innings, giving up two hits while walking one batter and striking out three.
Freshman Chelsea Wiggins, who came in for relief in the third inning, would be credited with her second loss after giving up one run on four hits while striking out four batters in 3.1 innings.
Bauman would earn her sixth save of the season after throwing two-thirds of the seventh inning.
“I think our pitching was exemplary all day long,” Deiros said. I can’t say enough about the ways our pitchers are throwing the ball and commanding the zone [by] getting ahead hitters and really exercising their will. We’ll keep at it. We’re still 8-0. The sign of a good team is when you don’t play your best and come away with a couple of victories.”
Up Next:
The Eagles will host the FGCU Four Points by Shearton Invitational this upcoming weekend where five games will be played starting with UConn on Friday, Feb. 23 at 4:45 P.M. The Eagles will also welcome Stony Brook, Wright State and Southern Illinois to the invitational.
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