WP | Mike Murray (5-6): 7.0 IP, 1 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 0 BB, 5 K
LP | Evan Korson (2-7): 7.1 IP, 7 R, 6 ER, 13 H, 3 BB, 5 K

FORT MYERS, Fla. – On the strength of a third-straight outstanding start from Mike Murray, the FGCU baseball team (25-22-1, 8-7 A-Sun) continued its dominance of Northern Kentucky (17-28, 5-11 A-Sun) as the Eagles defeated the Norse on Friday evening at Swanson Stadium, 7-2, to keep pace with a jumbled pack in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
 
Murray (West Palm Beach, Fla./Forrest Hill HS) earned his fifth win of the year as he went 7 innings, allowing just one run on seven hits while striking out five and walking none. Murray, who threw only 81 pitches, has now made three-consecutive starts in which he has allowed exactly one run, lowering his ERA from 4.05 to 3.27 during that stretch.
 
Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Stoneman Douglas HS) went 3-4 at the plate while scoring two runs, while Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS), Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) and Blake Berger (Jacksonville, Fla./Santa Fe College) each added two hits for the Eagles, who have never lost to NKU in seven all-time meetings.
 
Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) continued his hot season with a home run, and five other hitters contributed at least one RBI for the Green and Blue, led by a pair from Reardon.
 
The victory keeps FGCU in the middle of a congested A-Sun table as teams 2-6 are separated by just 1 game (Lipscomb, 9-7; Stetson, 9-7; FGCU, 8-7; Kennesaw State, 8-7; Jacksonville, 8-8). More importantly, the Eagles open up a 3.5-game lead over NKU, which occupies the seventh position in the conference. Only the top six in the league ledger qualify for the A-Sun Championship hosted by FGCU. Five regular-season A-Sun contests remain for each team.
 
"Mike set the tone for us tonight right from the get-go," stated head coach Dave Tollett, whose team snapped a three-game losing streak. "He was extremely effective, and we got the bats going as well to help him out. Up and down the lineup we were productive, and hopefully we can keep it all going tomorrow."
 
Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto HS) entered in relief of Murray in the 8th inning and after working a scoreless frame, allowed one run in the 9th before getting out of a bases-loaded jam to end the game.
 
The Eagles jumped on the board first as Rivera delivered his team-leading 10th home run of the year on a 3-1 count with 2 outs in the 1st on a towering solo shot to straight-away center field. The 10th home run of the campaign for Rivera is tied for the third-most in the A-Sun this year.
 
After allowing a two-out single in the 1st inning, Murray had retired seven in a row until an infield single to lead off the 4th eventually got him into a little bit of a jam. However, with runners on first and second, the right hander got ahead of the fifth hitter in NKU's lineup, Cody Kuzniczci, and induced an inning-ending double play.
 
The Eagles rewarded their starter in the bottom of the frame as they loaded the bases with no one out before Adam Eggnatz (Tampa, Fla./Middle Georgia College) flied out to right to bring home Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS). On the play, Bottomley moved to third, and he his prudent baserunning paid off when Brady Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto HS) reached on a fielder's choice RBI to score him.
 
After two more efficient innings from Murray, FGCU opened the game up in the 6th with four runs. With the bases loaded and one out, Reardon ripped a 3-1 offering from NKU starter Evan Korson into the right-center gap to bring around Eggnatz and Bottomley with runs four and five, respectively.
 
Selesky dropped in a single into the same right-center gap in the ensuing at bat, plating Reardon and Anderson, the former of which was an unearned run following a bobble by the Norse center fielder while fielding the ball.
 
Murray ran into a little bit of trouble in the 7th as he surrendered his first run, but with runners on the corners and 1 out the junior worked out of potential damage with a strike out and fly out to center to keep the Norse at bay.
 
The two teams will square off in the second game of the series on Saturday at 2 p.m. The three-game set is scheduled to conclude on Sunday at 1 p.m. with FGCU honoring its seniors prior to the contest, which will be the final home regular-season outing of the year.
 
GAME NOTES: With one out in the bottom of the 2nd, home-plate umpire Mike Trotter left the game with a non-contact left-leg injury. Third-base umpire Cory Gottsegen assumed home-plate duties and the game was completed with just two umpires. There was a delay of 18 minutes while Gottsegen changed equipment.

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 459-259-3 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.

#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.