FGCU Softball: FGCU Invitational Day One Recap

The FGCU softball team (6-2) split two games Friday night, first taking down Furman (1-4) by a score of 9-1 before falling to Memphis (4-3), 3-2, at the FGCU Softball Complex.

"Tonight was fun. Those are the games we want to be a part of," said head coach David Deiros. "I know we won the first one pretty easily, but that's not the kind of games we want to play. The kind of games we want to be able to play and compete in, are the ones like the second contest. We were battling back the entire way and had chances to take the lead but couldn't come up with it. I hope our kids build on that because we played well enough to win, it just didn't go our way."

FGCU 9 | Furman 1
Johneisha Rowe started the frame off with a single to center then stole second. McKenna Batterton made it 1-0 with a double to score in Rowe. In the bottom of the fourth, the Green and Blue broke out with four runs, scoring each one with two outs. Rowe knocked one to center to bring in Hannah Shemansky as Batterton then hit one up the middle to bring in Kacie Huber. Mikenzie Vaughn capped off the scoring with another base hit up the middle, plating home Batterton and Rowe. 

Rowe collected her second RBI of the game scoring Jordyn Gendron who doubled to center to start the bottom of the fourth. The final crooked number of the contest came in the bottom of the sixth. Nicole Hayslip singled to left with one out as Ashley Hayes walked to put runners on first and second. Taylor Bauman then lined a hard hit to the shortstop that got into left field, scoring Hayslip. Two batters later, Reedy Davenport doubled down the left field line to plate pinch-runner Batterton and Bauman, ending the game via the run-rule.

Starting pitcher Sarah Lawton moved to 3-0 after tossing five innings, allowing just two hits while striking out a season-high eight batters.

Memphis 3 | FGCU 2
The Tigers jumped on the board first in the third inning scoring three runs on four hits. FGCU though, responded back in its own half.  Sammi Poehlman advanced to second after a fielder's choice on a foul fly ball to right. Up next, Haley Morrell reached on a throwing error as Poehlman raced from second to home.

FGCU scratched its second run in the bottom of the sixth. Vaughn singled and Davenport's walk put both runners on. Poehlman then laid down a bunt reaching first safely but a bad throw allowed Vaughn to score from second. The Eagles made it interesting in the final inning as Rowe singled, stole second and was moved over to third on a sac bunt from Batterton. One batter later, the shortstop would throw Rowe out at home after scooping up a ground ball.

Marissa Mesiemore is tagged with the loss moving her to 3-2. At the dish, Rowe and Poehlman each produced two hits.

Up Next:
FGCU returns back to the diamond tomorrow taking on Memphis at 4:45 p.m. followed by UIC at 7 p.m.