In their first ever matchup, the FGCU softball team (20-16, 5-3 A-SUN) pulled away with some big shots as they defeated North Alabama (17-13, 3-6 A-SUN) 9-1 in game one and 1-0 in game two at the Hilda B. Anderson Softball field in Florence, Alabama to win the overall series.
"It's great to win the series on day one," said head coach David Deiros. "Our team was tough and resilient but nobody was more than Marissa [Mesiemore]. Her performance today was outstanding."
Game One:
For game one, Deiros sent his senior ace in Riley Randolph while UNA head coach Ashley Cozart sent freshman Sidney Revels to counter.
In the bottom of the first, the Lions would get on the board first after an RBI single by junior Veronica Westfall for a 1-0 lead.
The Lions continued to hold the Eagles scoreless through four innings, but the Eagles would not tolerate losing to the 2016 NCAA DII World Series Champions and answered back in retaliation at the top of the fifth. Beginning with a leadoff walk drawn by freshman McKenna Batterton, senior Kate Kelly would follow with a single before Cozart sent junior Michelle Moore to the mound. After sophomore Haley Morrell reached first on a fielder's choice, after Kelly was out at second, senior Racquel Fournet gave the Eagles the spark for retaliation as she lined a double to left to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. After freshman Reedy Davenport hit a single that sent Fournet to third before senior Brooke Clemens grounded out, junior Mekenzie Vaughn clear the bases with a two-RBI single to make it 4-1 FGCU.
At the top of the sixth, the Eagles to add on to the scoreboard with no mercy. Beginning with another Batterton leadoff walk before freshman Ashley Hayes came into pinch run, Kelly would single and advance to second before Morrell came up to bat and clocked a triple to center to give the Eagles a 5-1 lead, but the it did not stop there. After Cozart sent junior Jensen Strickland to the mound, Fournet brought back her power roots and smacked a shot to left for a two-run homer for a 7-1 Eagle lead. This was Fournet's second home run of the season and her 18th in her career and is two away from becoming the 12th player in program history to reach 20 career home runs/
At the top of the seventh, the Eagles decided to add two more runs to the board before calling it a break thanks to a two-run blast by Morrell. This was her fifth home run of the season.
Randolph would earn a no decision after throwing three innings, giving up the lone run on four hits while walking two and striking out two. Randolph's start in the game happened to be her 100th in her career
Mesiemore would earn her fifth win of the season after throwing four scoreless innings while walking three and striking out one.
Revels would fall to 3-2 after throwing 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on six hits while walking four and striking out three.
Moore threw 1.1 innings and gave up four runs on five hits while walking two batters while Strickland gave up one run one on hit with one walk in no innings.
Four Eagles were had a multi-hit game with Davenport leading the way going 3-for-4, while Kelly, Morrell and Fournet were 2-for-5 each with Morrell (three RBI), Fournet (four RBI) and Vaughn (1-for-4, two RBI) having a multi-RBI game.
Westfall was the only Lion in game one with a multi-hit game as she went 2-for-3 with the team's lone RBI.
Game Two:
For game, Deiros sent Mesiemore to the mound while Cozart sent junior Megan Garst to counter.
Between Mesiemore and Garst, it was a pitcher's dual as both continued to add zeros to the scoreboard with Garst leading the way in strikeouts until the sixth inning when Garst buckled first when sophomore Farley Callaghan blasted a solo shot to left that hit a folding chair. This was Callaghan's first home run of the season and would be the only run on the board as the Eagles pulled away.
Mesiemore would earn her sixth win of the season after throwing 6.1 scoreless innings giving up one hit with one strikeout.
Randolph came in relief throwing two-thirds of an inning and giving up two hits before Mesiemore came back in.
Cozart would fall to 9-4 after a complete game, giving up one run, the solo home run from Callaghan, on three hits while striking out a career-high 13 batters.
Kelly, Fournet and Callaghan would be the only Eagles that had a hit while Westfall, senior Alex Brown and freshman Chloe Kirkland had the Lions' lone hits.
Up Next:
The Eagles look to pull away with the sweep against North Alabama on Sunday, April 7 at 1 pm before coming back to the Sunshine State to face FIU (19-19, 1-10 C-USA).
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