The FGCU baseball team (31-12, 7-5 A-SUN) completed their fifth non-conference sweep as they defeated FIU (21-24, 10-11 C-USA) 4-3. With the win, the Eagles are now 10-7 overall against the Panthers.
"Every win feels good," said head coach Dave Tollett. "Any time you can get a win in May it's good because this is the time you have to start playing your best. And we're not clicking on all cylinders right now so that's what makes this even better. If we start playing well, we'll be a tough team to beat."
Tollett sent junior Evan Lumbert to the mound while FIU head coach Mervyl Melendez sent freshman Will Saxton to counter Lumbert.
At the top of the first inning, Lumbert was off to a shaky start. After getting sophomore Derek Cartaya to groundout, Lumbert would give up a one-out double to freshman Logan Allen before Allen advanced to third on a groundout from sophomore Austin Shenton. After redshirt junior Eddie Silva drew a walk, freshman Jose Garcia would send Allen home after a fielding error from sophomore Richie Garcia before junior Lorenzo Hampton, Jr. struck out swinging. After the first run, Lumbert kicked into high gear with strikeouts at the top of the second and third inning.
At being held scoreless in the first two innings, the Eagles were able to get on the board the bottom of the third beginning with a lead-off solo shot off the bat of senior Spencer Levine. It was Levine's fourth home run of the season. Sophomore Marc Coffers would follow with a double before fellow sophomore Alex Brait drew a walk for Garcia. Garcia would send Coffers home with an RBI single while sending Brait to third for redshirt sophomore Kohl Gilmore. Gilmore would bring Brait in with an RBI fielder's choice.
From there, Lumbert continued to stay hot on the mound. Despite being in two jams, Lumbert was able to strike out four batters combined in the fourth and fifth inning.
The Eagles would then add one more to their lead. Sophomore Elijah Eusebio would begin with a one-out double before Tollett sent sophomore Cameron Krzeminski to pinch run for Eusebio. After Krzeminski advanced to third on a passed ball, freshman Christian Proffitt would send Krzeminski 90 feet for the Eagles fourth run of the game.
Tollett would have sophomore Sebastian Gruszecki to pitch in the seventh. Tollett also sent redshirt junior Jay Hayes and junior Eric Gonzalez to take the field after taking sometime to rest. Geuszecki would get out of the seventh unfazed.
In the eighth inning, Tollett would send redshirt senior Parker Hamilton to pitch. Hamilton would get Silva to strikeout, but would soon struggle with the next two batters. After giving up a one-out single to Garcia and walking Hampton, who advanced to second and third on two wild pitches, freshman Seth Cannady would reduce the Eagles' lead with a two out two-run single to make it 4-3 for FGCU. This signaled Tollett to bring in redshirt senior Kenton Hering to close the inning. After Cannady stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, Hering would get sophomore Kobe Lopez to ground out to end the eighth.
At the top of the ninth, Hering would wrap up the game with ease. All three ground outs came to the glove of Gonzalez.
Lumbert would earn his sixth win of the season after throw six innings. Lumbert gave up one unearned run on five hits while walking three batters and striking out seven.
Saxton would earn his second loss of the season after 2.1 innings. Saxton gave up three runs on five hits while walking one batter and striking out four.
Hering would earn his eighth save of the season after throwing 1.1 scoreless innings while giving up giving up one hit.
Eusebio would be the only Eagle with a multi-hit game. The Miami native would finish 2-for-2 with a walk.
Coffers, Garcia, Gilmore, Proffitt, Gonzalez and Levine would have one hit each.
The Eagles will return to action in conference play as they face UNF in a three-game series.
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