BOX SCORE (PDF)
WP | Blake Whitney (2-1): 5.0 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO
LP | Mike Murray (3-4): 5.0 IP, 10 H, 5 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO
SV | Richie Lacell (2): 4.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 SO

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (15-15-1, 3-2 A-Sun) fell behind USC Upstate (10-21, 2-3 A-Sun) early and battled back in the first but a three run second inning for the Spartans put the Green and Blue behind permanently in this one as Upstate was able to hold on for a 6-3 victory. The series finale is slated to take place at Swanson Stadium on Saturday with first pitch scheduled for Noon. Brady Anderson will be on the mound for FGCU.

Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) stayed hot at the plate on Friday night, going 1-2 with an RBI double, a run and a pair of walks. The junior has now reached base in an FGCU season high 25-straight games while also building a 13-game hit streak which is second only to Jake Noll's (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) 14-game streak earlier this season. Noll would go 1-4 at the plate and now has a 10-game hit streak. Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) went 1-4 with a pair of runs scored and has now reached base in 18-straight games while freshman lefty Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) continued his breakout campaign by going 1-4 with an RBI. He too has built an impressive streak of 13-consecutive games reaching base.

Mike Murray (West Palm Beach, Fla./Forrest Hill HS) made the start and gave up 10 hits, five runs, four earned and struck out seven over 5.0 innings before taking his fourth loss of the season. Nick Deckert (Tallahassee, Fla./Tallahassee CC) came on in relief and struck out four over 2.0 innings while Garrison Vandeventer (Ocala, Fla./North Marian HS) made his second appearance in as many days and worked through 2.0 innings, giving up one unearned run.

"We didn't play very good defense today," head coach Dave Tollett said. "We had too many errors that led to unearned runs and that's not how we're going to win games in this league. They outhit us and came up with big plays when they needed them so give them credit. Tomorrow is a big game."

The Spartans came out firing, using a single, sacrifice bunt and double in the first to score the game's first run. The Eagles would answer in the bottom half when, with one out, Selesky was hit by a pitch and Noll walked, bringing up Rivera who doubled in the gap in left-center to bring in Selesky and tie the game.

Upstate would respond in the top of the second. With one out, Stephen Dowling doubled to left and J.J. Shimko followed with a single up the middle to give the Spartans back the lead, 2-1. Shimko then stole second and Murray walked the next batter bringing up Daniel Fickas who ripped a single to center to load the bases. Erik Samples then doubled to bring in two more runs and put Upstate ahead 4-1.

After moving ahead 5-1 with a run in the top of the fourth, FGCU came to bat in the bottom of the fifth. Selesky doubled down the line right with one out and Rivera would walk after Noll lined out. Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) then came to the plate and pushed a single through the right side of the infield to score one run. Spivey then came up and took a 3-2 pitch to right, driving in a run and making it 5-3.

That would be as close as the Eagles would come however as the Spartans were able to add an insurance run in the ninth and keep the Green and Blue at bay to pick up their 10th win of the season and second in A-Sun play. Upstate will send Zac Manuppelli to the mound opposite Anderson tomorrow afternoon.

NEXT UP
The marquee road series of the year will be a brief, midweek stop at No. 8 Florida State (23-7, 9-3 ACC) Apr. 7, 8. FSU closed the 2014 campaign with a 43-17 record and a 21-9 mark in the ACC resulting in the No. 10 RPI in the nation at the end of the year. The Seminoles would advance to the NCAA Regional but no further. FGCU battled FSU on the road last season just once and led late before going down 8-3. The Eagles are 1-6 all-time opposite FSU with the lone victory coming during the 2012 season.

ATLANTIC SUN CHAMPIONSHIP
The Eagles will once again host the Atlantic Sun Championship Tournament at Swanson Stadium this season. The event is set to take place May 20-23 and the top six teams in the standings at the end of the regular season will advance to the championship and compete in a double-elimination style tournament to determine the A-Sun's automatic qualifier to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles are four-time A-Sun Regular Season Champions with the most recent title coming in 2014.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 12+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 449-252-3 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.