BOX SCORE (PDF)
WP | Jaesung Hwang (2-1): 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
LP | Sterling Koerner (6-4): 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (28-25-1, 11-9 A-Sun) was forced to try and overcome some adversity on Wednesday night in its Atlantic Sun Championship opener opposite second-seeded Lipscomb (36-18, 13-8 A-Sun) when the start of the game would be delayed until 11:20 p.m. after the previous game took over seven hours to complete. Nick Deckert was dominant over 7.0 innings on the hill but it wouldn't be enough as FGCU would fall, 2-1 and will now be forced to turn around and get back on the field at Noon on Thursday.

The game between No. 3 Stetson and No. 4 Jacksonville began at 3 p.m. and would be delayed at 4:15 after four complete innings due to lightning strikes in the area. The delay would last two-hours and 31 minutes and the game would last an A-Sun record 16 innings before Stetson came away with a walk-off victory after over five hours of game action.

Neither starting pitcher appeared affected by the late start. Senior Nick Deckert (Tallahassee, Fla./Tallahassee CC) cruised through 7.0 innings on the mound, allowing six hits and one run while striking out four and walking none. He lowers his ERA for the season to 2.63 which is tops among FGCU starters that have made at least five starts this year. Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carrol HS) took the loss on Thursday morning by giving up one run during his lone inning of work.

"Deckert pitched great for us but the result is obviously disappointing," head coach Dave Tollett said. "We had to deal with some adversity but in the end it really didn't show, we came out and played hard but it came down to leaving guys on again. Credit to them they made the most of the opportunities they had. We just didn't bring guys in when we needed to."

At the plate the Green and Blue would manage just five hits with no single player picking up more than one. Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County), Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS), Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS), Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) and Blake Berger (Jacksonville, Fla./Santa Fe College) would all collect the hits but Noll drove in the only run in the first inning.

Freshman shortstop Matt Reardon led off the game by working a four-pitch walk and moved up to second when Selesky laid down his 18th sacrifice bunt of the season. Rivera followed with a bounce out to the pitcher but Noll stepped in and delivered a two-out single through the right side like he's done so many times in his career to drive in the first run of the game. The Green and Blue would load the bases with back-to-back infield singles behind Noll but all three would be stranded.

Deckert cruised through four scoreless but gave up a one-out double to Lipscomb catcher Jeffrey Crisan in the top of the fifth. A balk put Crisan on third and a groundout for the second out of the inning brought him in to score to tie the game, 1-1. Deckert would work out of the frame to keep this one tied. FGCU stranded six runners over the first five frames and went down in order in the top of the sixth.

Eggnatz drew a walk to lead off the top of the seventh and he moved in to scoring position thanks to a sacrifice bunt. Reardon grounded out to bring up Selesky who worked a 2-2 count before a ball appeared to skip past the Lipscomb catcher that would have allowed Eggnatz to score from third and give the Eagles the lead. It would be determined, however, that the ball actually hit Selesky on his back foot which instead put runners on first and third for Rivera who grounded out to end the threat.

The Bisons would load the bases in the bottom of the seventh and with two away Tollett strolled to the mound in a situation that seemed as if he would remove Deckert but after a long conference he stuck with the senior. Deckert worked a deep count and eventually got a pop-out in the infield to end the threat. The Eagles would come to the plate in the bottom half and with two outs, Bottomley worked a walk and Berger singled to left to force Martinez-McGraw out of the game. With a new arm on the hill, Eggnatz walked to load the bases for Anderson who bounced a chopper of the middle that A-Sun Defensive Player of the Year Grant Massey got to and fired to first. The Lipscomb first baseman had to lay out to make the catch and FGCU would contest that he pulled his foot but out was the call and the threat was over.

New pitcher Sterling Koerner surrendered a leadoff walk to the Bisons before retiring the next two batters he faced. After working a 2-2 count to Jonathan Allison he would serve up a fastball that Allison jumped all over and drilled into the gap in right center for a triple, driving in the go-ahead run. The next pitch would bounce away from the FGCU catcher and Allison would try to score but a clean throw and tag from Koerner prevented the run from scoring and ended the inning.

The top of the FGCU order would go down in succession in the top of the ninth to secure the 2-1 victory for Lipscomb. The Eagles go down in the first round of the A-Sun Tournament for the first time since 2013 when the Green and Blue fell to Kennesaw State. That team would lose to Lipscomb in the subsequent elimination game. The Eagles will face No. 6 Kennesaw State tomorrow at Noon.

NEXT UP
The Green and Blue will play for its season on Thursday when it makes the quick turnaround to play at Noon opposite 2014 Tournament Champion, No. 6 Kennesaw State (28-27, 10-10 A-Sun) who dropped a 14-0 result to top-seeded North Florida on Wednesday. FGCU split its season-series with the Owls on the road this season with the lone victory coming in the form of a 6-5, extra-inning decision opposite the starter KSU will likely throw tomorrow, A-Sun First Team choice Travis Bergen. Brady Anderson tossed 6.1 strong that afternoon while Koerner took the victory after cruising through 3.2 scoreless innings of relief.

NOTE
The 11:20 p.m. start isn't the latest/earliest start in program history for FGCU. The Green and Blue squared off with Central Michigan at 12:01 a.m. on Feb. 20, 2009 in a game that officially kicked off the collegiate baseball season that year.

TICKETS
Tickets are now on sale for the 2015 Atlantic Sun Championship. Interested individuals can purchase their tickets online at FGCUAthletics.com/Tickets or by calling the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145.
- General Admission Single Day Pass - $10
- Reserved Seating Single Day Pass - $15
- General Admission All-Tournament Pass - $35
- Reserved Seating All-Tournament Pass - $55
- All Students of an A-Sun School are admitted for Free

DAVE TOLLETT
In 12+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 462-260-3 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, 16 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. All A-Sun Tournament games will be broadcast live on ESPN3.

#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 visitwww.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.