FORT MYERS, Fla. (April 23, 2016) -- Florida Gulf Coast hit a pair of two-run home runs, and squeezed runs in the fifth and sixth innings to come away with a 6-4 win in game one of a scheduled doubleheader Saturday over FIU at the FGCU Softball Complex. The loss drops the Panthers to 23-24 overall, while the Eagles improve to 24-23.
 
The Eagles started the scoring with a two-run homer from freshman Racquel Fournet in the first, following a triple by Louie Ross for the 2-0 lead.
 
Shortstop A.J. Belans (Hollywood, Florida / American Heritage HS) tied the game with a homer, her ninth of the season, on an 0-1 pitch in the second inning after junior Gabby Spallone (Miami, Florida / Palmetto HS) singled through the middle to lead off the inning.
 
FGCU got the lead back with a two-run homer from pinch hitter Chandler Middlebrook in the fourth inning.
 
The Panthers pulled the lead back to one in the top of the fifth after a leadoff triple by freshman Jackie Schoff (Bradenton, Florida / Lakewood Ranch HS) and a follow-up RBI single by junior Ashley Leon (Miami, Florida / Gulliver Prep / Auburn University).
 
The Eagles then scored an unearned run in the fifth. The leadoff batter reached on a strikeout and error, stole second, advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt and stole home on a missed hit-and-run attempt.
 
Once again, FIU got the game back to within a run. Belans doubled with one out and scored on a triple by freshman pinch hitter Lauren Williams (Tampa, Florida / Chamberlain HS), who dropped a ball down the left field line as two fielders collided on the play.
 
FGCU got an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth with a bases-loaded bloop single to center. Spallone kept it to one run by firing home to cut down a second run from scoring on the play.
 
FIU starter Megan Kugelmann (Merritt Island, Florida / Cocoa Beach HS) took the loss, dropping her record to 6-5. She was charged with four earned runs in 3.1 innings. She gave up five hits and two walks in the game.
 
FGCU starter Riley Randolph got the win, improving her record to 13-4. In six innings, she scattered nine hits and a walk, giving up all four FIU runs. She posted five strikeouts.
 
Both teams posted 10 hits. Leon led FIU with three of them. Belans had a pair of RBI with two hits, scoring two runs.
 
The Panthers and Eagles play game two later this afternoon.

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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports, and is a proud member of Conference USA. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including FIU Arena and the FIU Football Stadium.
 
About FIU: Florida International University is recognized as a Carnegie engaged university. It is a public research university with colleges and schools that offers more than 180 bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs in fields such as engineering, international relations, architecture, law and medicine. As one of South Florida's anchor institutions, FIU contributes $9.8 billion each year to the local economy. FIU is Worlds Ahead in finding solutions to the most challenging problems of our time. FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. FIU has awarded over 200,000 degrees and enrolls more than 54,000 students in two campuses and three centers including FIU Downtown on Brickell, FIU@I-75, and the Miami Beach Urban Studios. FIU also supports artistic and cultural engagement through its three museums: the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum, the Wolfsonian-FIU, and the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. FIU is a member of Conference USA and has over 400 student-athletes participating in 18 sports. For more information about FIU, visit http://www.fiu.edu/.