The FGCU softball team (4-0) opened day two of the FGCU Kickoff Classic with two more wins as they defeated LIU-Brooklyn (1-3) 7-0 and Ball State (2-2) 4-0. With the wins, the Eagles are now 12-2 against the Blackbirds and 5-1 against the Cardinals.
"Great job by all of our four pitchers to keep their hitters at bay," said head coach David Deiros. "We played flawless defense including some really special plays. Our offense is finding a bunch of different ways to score. We have put ourselves in a great position to win the Kickoff Classic and that's a great feeling tonight."
Before FGCU played their games, LIU defeated Kent State (2-2) 3-1 to start day two. Kent State remained on the field where they defeated Penn State (1-3) 11-0 in five innings via the mercy rule. After FGCU's game against LIU, Ball State played Penn State winning 1-0
Game One:
Deiros turned to his ace as he sent senior Riley Randolph to the mound while LIU-Brooklyn head coach Roy Kortmann sent sophomore Victoria Lowe to counter.
The Eagles did not even blink in the bottom of the first to score. After a one-out single off the bat of freshman Reedy Davenport, who then advanced to second on a throwing error. From there, the Eagles brought in the first run off the bat of senior Racquel Fournet as she lined a double to center to bring in Davenport. After fellow senior Brooke Clemens and junior Marcella Parrado drew back-to-back walks, junior Mikenzie Vaughn would send Fournet and Clemens home with a base-loaded two-RBI double. As a result, this signaled the end for Lowe as Kortmann would send freshman Elena Valenzuela to the mound. It did no effect to the Eagles' bats as junior Morgan Greco would send Vaughn and Parrado home to make it 5-0 FGCU.
While Randolph kept the Blackbirds from scoring, the Eagles continued to add two more runs in the bottom of the fourth. After a lead-off walk from Greco and a single from sophomore Farley Callaghan before freshmen McKenna Batterton reached first on a fielder's choice when Greco was called out at third, junior Sammi Poehlman would send Callaghan and Batterton home with a two-run triple to make it 7-0 FGCU, which would be the final score of the game.
Randolph would earn her second win of the season after throwing five shutout innings, giving up six hits with two strikeouts.
Freshman Emily Hess and sophomore Taylor Bauman each threw a scoreless inning with one strikeout each. Hess made her debut after graduating from Maine Endwell High in Endwell, New York.
Lowe would earn her second loss of the season after a third of an inning, giving up five runs on three hits while walking two.
Valenzuela would have a no-decision after throwing 5.2 innings, giving up two runs on four hits, while walking one and striking out one.
Game Two:
Derios sent sophomore Marissa Mesiemore to the mound while Ball State head coach Megan Ciolli Bartlett sent Aeshia Miles to counter.
After the first two innings being scoreless, the Eagles managed to get on the board first in the bottom of the third. Beginning with back-to-back singles from Vaughn and Fournet, Clemens would send Vaughn home with an RBI groundout. With Fournet on third, Davenport would send her home with an RBI double to make it 2-0 FGCU.
In the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles would add two more final runs. Freshman Kyleigh Taylor began with a lead-off walk before sophomore Ahnie Jumper came in to pinch run. After Jumper advanced to second on a groundout and to third on a wild pitch, senior Kate Kelly would hit into a fielder's choice and drive in Jumper to make it 3-0 FGCU before Fournet would line a pitch between the first baseman's legs and send Kelly home to make it 4-0 and eventually the win.
Mesiemore would earn her second win of the season after throwing six scoreless innings, giving up two hits and two walks, while striking out six batters.
Bauman threw a scoreless inning with one strikeout in a non-save situation.
Miles would earn her second loss of the season after five innings. She would give up all four runs on six hits while walking two and striking out seven.
Freshman Tieghan Morio threw a scoreless inning while giving up one hit and striking out one.
Davenport (2-for-3, RBI and a stolen base) and Vaughn (2-for-4, run) finished with two hits each.
Fournet's double in the first game was her 47th in her career. She needs three to surpass Cheyenne Jenkins (2006-09, 49) and Courtney Platt (2008-11, 49) as the all-time leader in career doubles.
Up Next:
FGCU ends the Kickoff Classic tomorrow, facing LIU first at 11:15 am followed by another matchup against Ball State at 2:30 pm.
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