FORT MYERS, Fla. – 19 runs and 18 hits powered the FGCU softball team to a sweep of Atlantic Sun foe Mercer on Saturday afternoon at the FGCU Softball Complex.  

The Eagles are now 27-21 (7-3 A-Sun) on the season, while the Bears fall to (24-18, 5-7 A-Sun).

In game one, FGCU used homers from junior Mariah Fernandez (Cape Coral, Fla./North Fort Myers HS) and sophomore Jessica Barnes (Winter Haven, Fla./Haines City HS) to run-rule Mercer, 9-1, in five innings.

Freshman pitcher Shelby Morgan (High Springs, Fla./Santa Fe HS) went the distance, allowing five hits on one earned run with three strikeouts. Morgan (16-5) earned her team-leading 15th complete game of the season. Mercer’s Kassie Bailey (9-8) took the loss, allowing five hits on four earned runs in 4.0 innings.

In the bottom of the first, the Eagles quickly put a run on the board as sophomore Chelsea Zgrabik (Venice, Fla./Venice HS) doubled to center field to score sophomore Kirsten Bembnowski (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake HS), who reached on a single.

The Bears answered in the top of the third with a run to tie the game at 1-1. With one out, Kassie Bailey lined a single to left field, scoring McKenzie Woody, who singled to third to get on base, to give Mercer their first run of the contest (1-1).

The Green and Blue added three runs in the bottom of the fourth as Emily Lanier (St. Cloud, Fla./Harmony HS) singled to start the frame, followed by a single from sophomore Kirsten Bembnowski (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake HS). Fernandez then stepped into the batter’s box and blasted a three-run homerun over the fence in right field to give FGCU a 4-1 lead.

The Eagles scored five more runs in the bottom of the fifth as sophomore Regan Knapik (Land O’Lakes, Fla./Wiregrass Ranch HS) doubled to left field to start the inning. Barnes stepped in and launched a two-run homer that barely made it over the left field fence to put the Green and Blue ahead 6-1. After pinch-hitter Stephanie Kujawa (Cooper City, Fla./Cooper City HS/Virginia Tech) singled, Chelsea Zgrabik (Venice, Fla./Venice HS) doubled to center field, plating Kujawa (7-1). Sophomore Kirsten Bembnowski (Palm Harbor, Fla./East Lake HS) singled and advanced to second on the throw from a Mercer outfielder scoring pinch-runner Kayla Ramey (Fort Myers, Fla./North Fort Myers/Seminole State College) from second for FGCU’s eighth run of the contest (8-1). Sophomore Brittney Garabedian (Miami, Fla./Gulliver Prep HS) wrapped up the game with a single that scored Bembnowski (9-1).

In game two, the Green and Blue scored 10 runs on seven hits to hand the Bears a 10-2 loss.

The Bears scored two runs in the top of the second as Santana and Stukes added RBI singles to give Mercer an early 2-0 lead.

FGCU took the lead with a six-run bottom of the third on four hits. The Eagles loaded the bases when Lanier lined a two-run single through the right side. Zgrabik stepped up and blasted a three-run home run to left field to give FGCU a 5-2 lead. The Green and Blue loaded the bases again and plated another run off a sacrifice from freshman Stephanie Metzger (Naples, Fla./Palmetto Ridge HS).

In the bottom of the fifth, the Eagles scored five more runs to complete the victory against Mercer on another run-rule 10-2. Sophomore Tori Williams (Dunnellon, Fla./Dunnellon HS) returned from injury and added a pinch-hit single in the inning. The big hit came from Barnes who lined a three-run triple to right center. Carpenter ended the game with a sacrifice fly to score Barnes from third.

Sophomore Amanda Josie (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) pitched all five innings, earning her ninth win after allowing just two earned runs on five hits with two strikeouts.

Live stats, in-game Twitter updates (@FGCUEagles), results and recaps will be available at www.FGCUAthletics.com.