FGCU Softball: Clearwater Invitational Preview

The FGCU softball team (20-4) will continue its travel away from home in the month of March, this time traveling just up I-75 for five games in the Clearwater Invitational hosted by USF. The invitational will feature Chattanooga (12-14), St. Joseph's (8-7), Maine (6-13), Lehigh (3-12) and Princeton (0-10).

I got to be honest, I don't know what to call this tournament because it has so many names: Clearwater Invitational, USF Tournament, USF Under Armour Invitational, Michele Smith Pediatric Cancer Invitational, USF Spring Break Tournament. I really don't know what what to call this tournament.

Last Time Out:
The Eagles recently competed in a six-game road trip in California where they swept California-Santa Barbara (2-0, 3-2) before playing in the LMU Tournament. At the LMU Tournament, the Eagles earned wins over host LMU (5-0), Providence (3-2, 2-1) before wrapping it up with a 10-1 triumph in six innings against Southern Utah, finishing the road trip 6-0.

They were originally scheduled to face Harvard in the tournament finale, but the game was cancelled due to inclement weather.

Junior Riley Randolph, freshman Marissa Mesiemore and sophomore Morgan White have been dominant on the mound for the pitching rotation.

On the California road trip, Randolph went 3-0 with 14 strikeouts. Randolph is currently 8-2 with a 1.22 ERA and 55 strikeouts.

Switching back and forth between starting and relieving, Mesiemore is 8-1 with a 1.79 ERA and 24 strikeouts. Mesiemore was 2-0 in California with four strikeouts.

White leads the bunch with a 1.21 ERA. The Ocala native is 3-1 with 29 strikeouts. White was 1-0 in California with 11 strikeouts

Bauman Saves the Nation:
In close games this season, the Eagles have relied heavily on freshman Taylor Bauman. In 19 appearances this season, Bauman (1-0, 0.59 ERA) so far has registered 12 saves, which leads the NCAA by eight games to the next closest pitcher. Bauman is four saves away from breaking the NCAA single-season record for saves (15).

On the California road trip, Bauman had four saves in five games.

On offense, junior Racquel Fournet leads the Eagles at the plate with a .333 BA and 15 RBIs. Fournet was 5-for-18 in California with a home run and five RBIs.

Senior Brittany McGuire is not too far behind Fournet at the plate batting .308 with two home runs and eight RBIs. McGuire went 5-for-13 in California with a home run and two RBIs.

Three other Eagles have registered 12 RBIs apiece: senior Ashley Swiderski and juniors Bri Bennett and Brooke Clemens.

Swiderski is batting .238 with a team-leading four home runs. The Naples native was 3-for-16 in California with a home run and three RBIs.

Bennett is currently batting .368 with two home runs. On the California road trip, Bennett was 8-for-18 with a home run and five RBIs including a 3-for-3 game against Southern Utah.

Clemens is batting .207. She went 3-for-8 with an RBI in California.

Nat's Unexpected Stop:
Senior Natalie Lopez suffered an ACL tear in her knee in the game against Southern Illinois in the FGCU Four Points by Shearton Invitational. Lopez is currently batting .500 with 13 hits and one RBI. Lopez did not play in the final game of the invitational, yet it is not clear on her timetable and whether she will be able to return or if she will sit out for the rest of the season due to the knee injury. In addition, I'm not 100% sure if she traveled with the team.

Scouting The Mocs:
Chattanooga is currently playing in the USF Under Armour Invitational, which the Eagles are a part of technically speaking. The Mocs are 4-2 for their part of invitational. They would claim wins over Central Michigan (6-3), Central Connecticut State (7-5), Rider College (12-11) and Maine (6-0). They did lose to UCF (1-3) and Villanova (3-4). They will play Quinnipiac in an earlier game on the same day as FGCU.

The Mocs will feature five batters hitting .300 plus including senior Brook Womack. Womack is batting .407 with 14 RBIs and five doubles. So far in the invitational, the Chattanooga local is 12-for-20 with a home run and seven RBIs.

In the circle, freshman Allison Swinford and sophomore Celie Hudson have each tossed 65 plus innings and 68 strikeouts combined.

Swinford is currently 5-4 with a 4.26 ERA and 32 strikeouts. In her last start, Swinford threw a three-hit shutout against Maine with five strikeouts. She is 2-1 in the invitational so far with a save and 10 strikeouts.

Hudson is 4-8 with a 4.42 ERA and 36 strikeouts. In her last start, she ended up with a no-decision against Central Connecticut throwing 2.1 innings with two strikeouts. Hudson is 1-1 with three strikeouts.

Scouting The Hawks:
St. Joseph's is currently playing in the Under Armour Showcase in Clearwater. The Hawks are 2-3 in the showcase so far. They defeated Central Michigan (5-4)in nine innings to begin their part, but fell to UCF (1-9) in five, Quinnipiac (1-2) and Army West Point (2-5) before defeating Robert Morris (1-0). The Hawks will play FAMU on the same day as scheduled before facing the Eagles.

Offensively, the Hawks are led by junior Taryn Grober. Grober is batting .364 to go along with one home run and seven RBIs. In the showcase, Grober is 3-for-13 with an RBI.

In the circle, junior Ashley Ventura leads the rotation with a 4-3 record with a 3.17 ERA and 30 strikeouts. In her last start, Ventura threw a five-hit shutout against Robert Morris walking one batter and striking out six.

Scouting The Black Bears:
Maine is currently 6-13 overall. The Black Bears played in nine games for this tournament. They would lose the first five games to Loyola Chicago (0-1), Quinnipiac (9-11), Robert Morris (4-7), South Dakota State (0-8, five innings), and Southern Illinois (2-6) before claiming two wins over Iona (5-1, 1-0) before falling again to host USF (0-5) and their most recent loss this morning to Chattanooga (0-6). Maine will play three other games prior to facing FGCU against Butler, LIU-Brooklyn and FAMU.

Offensively, senior Rachel Carlson leads the team. is hitting .369, tallying seven RBI and eight runs. Carlson is 10-for-29 in Clearwater with three RBIs.

Maine's pitching staff features five players with senior Annie Kennedy leading the bunch with a 1.35 ERA. Kennedy is 0-2 in Clearwater with 12 strikeouts.

Scouting The Mountain Hawks:
After making an appearance in the NCAA Tournament last season, Lehigh is 3-12 overall coming into Clearwater.

In the Under Armour Showcase portion,  the Mountain Hawks played in six games so far. They would the first three games to Seton Hall (3-4, 10 innings), Central Michigan (3-5), and Loyola Chicago (2-6). The Mountain Hawks would defeat Central Connecticut (5-1) before falling to Butler (4-5 10, 8 innings) and Quinnipiac (2-4).

Lehigh will play three games in the USF Tournament against Elon, host USF, and LIU-Brooklyn prior to playing FGCU.

Senior Nicole Yozzo leads LU offensively hitting .341 with 11 runs scored. Yozzo is 7-for-19 with six runs and nine stolen bases including three in the game against Butler.

On the mound, four Mountain Hawks have seen action in the circle. Junior Emily Sorem is tossing 49.1 innings and holds a 3.41 ERA with 30 strikeouts. In the showcase, Sorem is 0-3 with 17 strikeouts. In her last start, Sorem earned a loss against Butler after throwing 7.2 innings, giving up five runs (four earned) on nine hits while walking one batter and striking out six.

Scouting The Tigers:
Princeton recently competed in the George Washington Tournament, hosted by George Washington, and included Fairleigh Dickinson. They would lose all five games, two against FDU (1-5, 2-3) and three against GW (1-3, 0-11 (5), 6-9).

Despite playing 10 games thus far, the Tigers feature six players hitting .300 plus including sophomore Megan Donahey.

Donahey is currently batting .364 with 12 hits and six runs scored. In the George Washington Tournament, Donahey was 7-for-17 with three runs scored and an RBI.

Freshman Allie Reynolds has tossed the most innings for Princeton with 34 and holds a 6.79 ERA with 13 strikeouts. In the George Washington Tournament, Reynolds went 0-3 with seven strikeouts.

Series History(s):
FGCU is tied 1-1 in the all-time series with Chattanooga. This will be the first meeting between both programs since 2008. Both teams split in a doubleheader with The Mocs winning 3-1 in the first game before the Eagle won 4-2 in the second game.

FGCU trails the all-time series 0-1 with St. Joseph's as the last game played was in 2010 where the Eagles fell 4-0.

This will be the first meeting since 2013 between Maine and FGCU. The Eagles leads the all-time series 3-0 (2/11/2012 W: 8-1, 3/3/2013 W: 8-0 (5), 3/13/2013 W: 3-2)

FGCU took the only meeting between against Lehigh in 2016 winning by a score of 2-0.

Sunday morning will mark the first meeting between FGCU and Princeton.

FGCU commences play with a doubleheader on Friday starting at 4:15 p.m. against Tennessee Chattanooga, followed by St. Joseph's at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday, the Eagles play two more contests, this time starting at 2:30 p.m. versus Maine and then cap off the afternoon clashing against Lehigh for a 4:45 p.m. start. On Sunday, FGCU will play its final game squaring off against Princeton at 11:15 a.m.

As noted, the following games will happen from the scheduled teams prior to facing FGCU:
Chattanooga:
3/16 vs Quinnipiac @2 P.M.

St. Joseph's:
3/16 vs. FAMU @2 P.M.

Maine:
3/16 vs. Butler @11:30 A.M., vs. LIU-Brooklyn @2 P.M.
3/17 vs. FAMU @9:45 A.M.

Lehigh:
3/16 vs. Elon @11:30 A.M., vs. USF @2 P.M.
3/17 vs. LIU-Brooklyn @noon

Princeton:
3/17 vs. FAMU @noon, vs. USF @4:45 P.M.
3/18 vs Elon @9 A.M

Livestats will be provided for all the games.