BOX SCORE (PDF)
WP | Sterling Koerner (2-0): 5.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
LP | Ryan Valdes (0-1): 3.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO

TAMPA, Fla. - The FGCU baseball team (4-4-1) made the most of its first road trip of the season when it visited USF (4-3-1) on Tuesday night. The Eagles struck early and often then rode hot pitching to a 6-2 victory in the first of two midweek matchups for the Green and Blue this week.

Nick Deckert (Tallahassee, Fla./Tallahassee CC) made his first start of the season for the Green and Blue and worked 4.0 innings of four-hit baseball while allowing two runs and striking out five. Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carrol HS) came on in relief and worked 5.0 scoreless innings of relief, striking out three to earn his second victory of the season.

"This was a quality win for us tonight," head coach Dave Tollett said. "Nick came out and pitched well and Sterling was very good in relief. Our bats finally woke up and put some runs on the board for us too. This is the way you want to see your team play on the road."

The Eagles threatened early in this one. Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County) led off by reaching on a throwing error then was sacrificed to second by Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS). Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) and Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) both followed with walks to load the bases with one out for Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) who would strike out. Blake Berger (Jacksonville, Fla./Santa Fe College) then came to the plate a drove a ball to deep right that would require a diving catch to end the early threat.

In the second, Brian Pruett (Sarasota, Fla./Coastal Carolina) led off with a hard-hit ball to right that would be dropped by the USF right-fielder allowing Pruett to reach second. Adam Eggnatz (Tampa, Fla./Middle Georgia College) then followed with line-drive a double to left putting runners on second and third for Reardon who singled in the infield to drive in the first run of the ball game. Noll then followed with a single to center to make it 2-0. USF would escape any further damage, however.

With one out in the bottom of the second, Levi Borders doubled to deep center, over the head of Eggnantz to put a runner in scoring position. Luke Maglich then came to the plate and singled up the middle to drive in the first run of the game for USF. Deckert would lock in and keep the Bulls off the board for the rest of the frame to maintain the 2-1 lead.

In the top of the fifth, Noll led off by reaching on a throwing error by the USF third baseman then stole second with Rivera at the plate. Rivera worked a walk and was followed up by a Bottomley strikeout bringing Selesky to the plate with one out. The Estero native swung away at the first pitch and drove a single to left, bringing in Noll and pushing the Eagles ahead 3-1.

Koerner took over for Deckert with one on in the bottom of the fifth and was able to bookend Deckert's lines by getting a fielder's choice groundout for the first out. The same would occur for the next batter and with two outs USF's Kevin Merrell would steal second. Kyle Teaf would come up and bounce a ball to first and beat Koerner to the bag for a single, allowing Merrell to circle the bags and score from second, cutting the FGCU lead down to 3-2.

Berger led off the top of the eighth by wearing a pitch between the numbers. Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central) would take over at first as a pinch runner and promptly steal second. Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) walked and Pruett followed with a single to left to drive in the first run of the frame. Eggnatz then reached on a fielder's choice, advancing Spivey to third. With two outs, a pass ball with Reardon at the plate allowed Spivey to sprint home to give the Eagles a 5-2 lead.

Rivera would come to the plate in the top of the ninth and crush a 1-0 offering from new pitcher Tommy Peterson over the left-centerfield wall deep into the Tampa night for his first homerun of the season, which put the Eagles ahead 6-2. That would be all the Eagles would need the rest of the way.

FGCU returns to Swanson Stadium tomorrow afternoon and will welcome the Saints of Siena. First pitch is currently scheduled for 2:30 p.m.

SCOUTING SIENA
The Saints are the defending MAAC Champions and advanced to the 2014 NCAA Tournament after collecting a 27-33 overall record and a 17-7 mark in conference play. They would finish the 2014 campaign with an RPI of 182. Siena will be coming to Fort Myers having met with UConn in a three game set in Port St. Lucie, Fla. over the weekend. Justin Esquerra started each of the first five games for Siena and hit .450 in the process with nine hits, two doubles and three RBI. Esquerra is a MAAC Preseason All-Conference selection. Prior to giving up 14 runs to UConn on Monday, the Saints held an 8.34 team ERA.

NEXT UP 
Minnesota, the second of three B1G opponents for the Green and Blue, visits Swanson Stadium for a three game series Feb. 27-Mar. 1 and it will be the Eagles' first meeting with the Gophers. Minnesota went 27-24 last season with a 13-11 record in the B1G in 2014.

The Eagles will make their first of two trips to Coral Gables to square off with Miami on Mar. 4. The Hurricanes will then travel to Swanson Stadium on Mar. 10 for a 6 p.m. start. Miami finished the 2014 season with the No. 17 RPI in the nation. The Canes streaked to a 45-20 record in 2014 with a 24-6 record in the ACC before advancing to the NCAA Tournament where they fell in the regional.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 12 seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 437-242-2 record as the only head coach in the program's history. He is a four-time Atlantic Sun Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to four A-Sun Regular Season Championships. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets and has coached 35 All-Conference selections, 22 draft picks, 14 current minor leaguers, four A-Sun Pitchers of the Year, three All-Americans, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one MLB All-Star.

#WINGSUP
Fans are encouraged to download the brand-new Wings Up mobile app in conjunction with SuperFanU. The fully-customized loyalty-rewards platform allows fans to check in at each of FGCU's sporting events to earn points throughout the school year toward exclusive prizes that can't be offered anywhere else.

FOLLOW ALONG
For constant, news, photos, videos and updates you can follow the baseball team on Twitter @FGCU_Baseball, Instagram @FGCU_Baseball or on Facebook: Facebook.com/FGCUBaseball. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events throughout the year to benefit the FGCU Campus Food Pantry (www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry) and the Harry Chapin Food Bank (www.harrychapinfoodbank.org), FGCU Athletics' charities of choice. For more information, including how to make a contribution, please visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.