The FGCU softball team (4-9) dropped two contests on Saturday at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational against Bethune-Cookman (3-9) and Purdue (9-4) by scores of 6-5 and 3-1, respectively.
“Against Bethune-Cookman we dug ourselves into some holes,” said head coach David Deiros. “We did our best to extricate ourselves with multiple chances to win in the bottom of the seventh. Against Purdue we had the tying run on second and winning run on first with our best hitter at plate. I will take that any day of the week and twice on Saturday.”
Against Bethune-Cookman, Alexis Ross (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida S. Baker HS) and Kelsey Carpenter (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) each had two hits and scored a run a piece. In the second game against Purdue Natalie Lopez (Miami, Fla./Westminster Christian High School) and Brittany McGuire (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Ponte Vedra High School)complied two hits in the tight contest.
GAME ONE
The Eagles sent Taylor Wade (Pace, Fla./Pace HS) to the circle in the first game of the day. The sophomore pitched 4.2 innings, allowing eight hits, six runs, four earned, one walk and two strikeouts. Freshman Gabbee Draney (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep High School) made a 2.1 inning relief appearance allowing three hits and striking out one.
The Wildcats started the game off early with two runs off two hits and an error in the first inning. During the third and fifth, Bethune-Cookman would add four more unanswered runs off of five hits and one error.
The Green and Blue got on the board during the fifth inning from a single to left center off the bat of McGuire. Jeanie Verderese (Jacksonville, Fla. Creekside HS) reached base on an error by the shortstop with one out which advanced McGuire to second before Kasandra Castle (Lake Worth, Fla./Palm Beach Central High School) drove the ball up the middle to make the score 6-1.
Makensie McAvoy (Plant City, Fla./Plant City HS) led the sixth off with a single down the left field line. Ross singled through the left which advanced McAvoy to second. McGuire reached first on a fielder’s choice with McAvoy out at third and Ross advancing to second. Ashely Swiderski (Naples, Fla. /Barron Collier High School) then loaded the bases with a single through the left side before Verderese dealt the damage in the inning when she drove in two runs with a single to center.
The Eagles entered attack mode in the bottom of the seventh as they tried to earn the victory. McAvoy reached base on a one-out error by the second baseman. Carpenter came to the plate and sent the ball to the right center gap for an RBI triple. Ross would follow suit with an RBI single through the left side to make the game tight but the Eagles stranded two runners to end the game at a 6-5 count after McGuire reached on a single to end the game.
GAME TWO
The Green and Blue played Purdue for the second time in as many days and fell by a 3-1 count in the afternoon contest. Junior Ashley Dobson (Wheatfield, Ind. /Kankakee Valley High School) threw a complete game, allowing three earned runs, five hits, three walks and struck out four.
The Boilermakers scored in the first inning after one hit and an error. Purdue added two more runs off of homeruns to right center and left field to finish the inning with a 3-0 lead.
The Eagles only run of the game came in the fifth inning when Verderese reached base on a single to left and scored on a McAvoy single that saw the Boilermakers second baseman misplay the ball allowing her to score.
The Green and Blue did not go away though as they loaded the bases in the bottom of the seventh after Lopez and Kelsey Huff (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Dwyer High School)reached on bunt singles with McAvoy reaching via the walk with two outs. Carpenter then stepped to the plate and on a 2-2 count but flew out to left to end the game.
FGCU will conclude play at the FGCU/Four Points by Sheraton Invitational when they take on Stony Brook at 11:15 a.m. and Oakland at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.