FGCU Baseball vs Liberty Game Three Recap

Champs, champs, champs. One of the only words that describe the feeling as the FGCU baseball team (34-19, 16-7 A-SUN) went on to the milestone as they claimed a nail-biting rubber match against Liberty (37-18, 15-9 A-SUN) by a score of 10-9 in the final A-SUN regular season game. With the win, several moments happened in FGCU's favor:
1. The Eagles claimed the #1 seed in the A-SUN Conference Tournament
2. The Eagles finished the A-SUN in first place
3. The Eagles became the A-SUN Regular Season Champions for the first time since 2014.

"All we wanted was to make it permanent," head coach Dave Tollett said. "We wanted to be A-SUN champs. This is such a special group of guys. There isn't one guy that makes the team complete. We have a group of guys that work hard. And I know that they are still hungry for more."

Before the game went underway, the Eagles recognized six seniors as part of their senior day: Justin Gill, Eric Gonzalez, Evan Lumbert, Kohl Gilmore, Keith Stevens and Jay Hayes for their accomplishments and their futures ahead of them.

After the lineups were announced, Lumbert's mother, Cathi, performed the national anthem and I have to say that she has some pipes. I was really amazed.

Back to the game, Tollett sent Lumbert to the mound while Liberty head coach Scott Jackson sent sophomore Noah Skirrow to counter.

In the bottom of the first, the Eagles would get on the board as quick as a hiccup. It all started with junior Richie Garcia at the plate.

Before I get to Garcia's at-bat, I'll start by saying this: Garcia has one of the catchiest walk-up songs in college baseball, "Bailar" by Derorro ft Elvis Crespo. When he was up to the plate, he had a new walk-up song by a classic artist, "Smooth" by Carlos Santana ft Rob Thomas. Fans were wondering where it went and why he changed it and he told me after the game that he wanted to "spice things up". Now I was a little questionable about it, but I did let him off the hook on it because it helped the team.

Back to the at-bat, on a full count, Garcia would send a deep shot to left for a solo home run. This was Garcia's sixth home run of the season and second of the series.

Following a single by junior Alex Brait, Hayes would come alive on a 0-2 count and send a shot to left for a two-run home run. This was Hayes' ninth home run of the season. Following walks drawn by Gonzalez and Gilmore, Jackson would pull Skirrow and send sophomore Mason Meyer to the mound for relief. After sophomore Christian Proffitt drew a walk load the bases, freshman Jalen Townsend would send a single to center to send Gonzalez home for a 4-0 lead. The Eagles would bat around as Garcia drew a walk that send Gilmore home to make it 5-0 FGCU before the inning ended.

The Flames would get their first run on the board at the top of the fourth from sophomore Logan Mathieu scoring on a fielding error, but the Eagles would respond back immediately in the bottom half beginning with a lead-off walk by Garcia. Brait would then try to bring in Garcia with a double, but to no success. Hayes would then avenge the run opportunity by bringing in Brait on a double of his own. After Stevens hit a single, Jackson would make another call to the bullpen and sent sophomore Logan Barker to the mound. After the pitching change, Gonzalez would hit a sacrifice fly to send Hayes home for a 6-1 lead. This would bring freshman Joe Kinker to the plate, and on the first pitch, the North Port native sent a shot to left center for a home run and and 9-1 FGCU lead. This was Kinker's seventh home run of the season.

At the top of the fifth, the Flames add two more runs to the board as sophomore Will Wagner hit a two-run blast for his sixth home run of the season, but the Eagles would add another run in the bottom of the sixth as Gilmore sent Gonzalez home on a sacrifice fly.

At the top of the eighth, the Flames began to cut the deficit to 10-7 after RBI singles by Mathieu, freshman Gray Betts, redshirt junior Jonathan Embry.

At the top of the ninth, with junior Hunter McGarry on the mound for the Eagles, the Flames cut the deficit to one run after an RBI single by Betts and a fielder's choice by Embry. With determination still in his grasp and a full count, the Bradenton native locked in and got junior Cam Locklear to strikeout and end the game and the A-SUN Regular Season Championship.

Lumbert would earn his sixth win of the season, putting him at 6-2 on the year. Lumbert gave up three runs (two earned) on five hits, walking six and striking out four in 5.2 innings.

Junior Nick Bitner threw 1.2 innings of relief, giving up three runs on three hits with one strikeout.

McGarry gave up three runs on three hits with three strikeouts.

Skirrow would earn his sixth loss, putting him at 4-6 after giving up five runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in two-thirds of an inning.

In relief for the Flames, Meyer gave up three runs on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts in 2.2 innings, Barker gave up one run on three hits with a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning, sophomore Landon Riley gave up one run on two hits with three strikeouts in three innings, freshman Cole Garrett gave up a walk on 10 pitches and junior Garret Price struck out two batters in a scoreless inning.

Brait, Hayes, Stevens and Kinker finished with two hits apiece with Hayes and Kinker with a multi-RBI game.

Garcia, Gonzalez, Gilmore and Townsend had one hit and at least one RBI each. Proffitt also had a hit.

For the Flames, Betts, Mathieu, Wagner, freshman Jaylen Guy, senior Tyler Galazin and sophomore Brandon Rohrer had two hits each with Betts, Mathieu and Wagner with two RBI each.

A-SUN Standings:
1. #1 FGCU (34-19, 16-7 A-SUN)*^
2. #2 Liberty (37-18, 15-9 A-SUN)*
3. #3 Lipscomb (30-23, 14-10 A-SUN)*
4. #4 Jacksonville (30-25, 13-11 A-SUN)*
5. #5 UNF (31-23, 12-11 A-SUN)*
6. #6 Stetson (24-30, 11-12 A-SUN)*
7. Kennesaw (27-29, 11-13 A-SUN)
8. North Alabama (16-38, 7-16 A-SUN)
9. NJIT (17-27-1, 7-17 A-SUN)

*Clinched a spot in A-SUN Tournament
^ Regular Season Champions

Up Next:
With the results set in stone, the seeding for the A-SUN Tournament are locked in for May 22-25. The tournament will take place at Stetson's Melching Field at Conrad Park in Deland, Florida.

#1 FGCU vs #6 Stetson (11 am)
#2 Liberty vs #5 UNF (3 pm)
#3 Lipcomb vs #4 JU (7 pm)