FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Jacksonville University softball team continued their final road trip of the regular season Saturday as they opened their final ASUN Conference series with a doubleheader opposite FGCU Saturday afternoon at the FGCU Softball Complex. The Dolphins (23-15, 9-8) took the opener by a score of 3-0 before the Eagles (22-17, 11-3) came back in game two to even the series with a 2-0 win.
 
In the series opener, the two sides exchanged zeroes in the first inning before JU took the lead in the second. Kassidy Cross reached on a one out single ahead of Madison Kennedy, who kept her recent hot streak going. The reigning ASUN Player of the Week went deep the straightaway centerfield for her seventh big fly of the season to make it a 2-0 game.
 
The Dolphins added another run in the sixth inning when Makenzie Buss scored following a single by Haley Holloway and an error on the play by the FGCU defense to make it 3-0.
 
Starter Alyssa Bilodeau (9-7) was sharp as ever in the circle, spinning a two-hit complete game shutout with eight strikeouts to bring her league leading total to 139.
 
Cross led the way at the dish, turning in a 3-3 effort while Kennedy had the big blow with the homerun as four other Dolphins also found the hit column in the game.
 
In the second game of the afternoon, things remained scoreless until the bottom of the third inning when FGCU strung together three straight two-out hits, including a triple and a double, to score twice and take a 2-0 advantage.
 
In the fifth inning the Dolphins picked up back-to-back two-out hits from Haley Holloway and Hallie Kern, but were unable to get on the board as FGCU got a flyout to end the inning.
 
Victoria Rodebaugh doubled to lead off the Dolphin sixth but was called out for leaving the base early while attempting to tag-up on a flyout to shallow right field.
 
Looking to rally in the seventh, Makenzie Buss led the inning off with a single to left as JU was able to get the tying and go-ahead runs on base with two outs, but the Eagles managed to get a fielder's choice force out with the bases full of Dolphins to eke out the 2-0 win.
 
Sean Mora (6-2) took the loss in the circle, allowing two runs on four hits in 2 2/3 innings of work with a strikeout and a walk. Skylar Whitty came on in relief and worked 3 1/3 scoreless innings without allowing a baserunner and striking out a pair of Eagles.
 
Hallie Kern went 2-3 in the game to lead JU at the plate as Samantha Poehlman, Rodebaugh, Holloway and Buss had one hit each.
 
The Dolphins