FORT MYERS, Fla. – Taking a tie into the fifth inning for the second-straight game, the FGCU baseball team (1-5) couldn't make a push and claim a lead against Illinois (3-2), who ultimately won game two of the three-game series, 4-2, Saturday afternoon at Swanson Stadium.

The Fighting Illini scored the go-ahead run in the top of the fifth inning and didn't surrender the lead from there. Designated hitter Anthony Drago hit a two-out, RBI single through the right side of the infield to score Michael Hurwitz after Jason Goldstein reached on a one-out error. FGCU starter Brady Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto HS) suffered the tough-luck loss while his counterpart Doug Hayes earned the win and Nick Blackburn recorded the save.

"It's another one I thought we let slip away," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "The bats looked to be coming around in the middle innings, particularly the fourth, but we failed to string anything together. We have to get our hitting and pitching clicking at the same time. Then we'll be successful."

After Illinois jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, FGCU missed a big opportunity in the bottom of the third when catcher Kyle Gilbert (Lake Mary, Fla./Seminole HS) hit a one-out double over left fielder Jack Yalowitz' head. With a 1-1 count, Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) slapped what appeared to be a hit through the left side of the infield, but shortstop Adam Walton made a nice play to glove the groundball on the backhand and fire back to second base to catch Gilbert too far off the bag.

However, FGCU responded to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth inning. Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) hit a lead-off single to left before stealing second base – his second of the season and the 42nd of his career – and advanced to third on an errant throw from Goldstein behind the plate. Two batters later, Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) stayed hot and drove in Noll on a single back up the middle, good for his team-leading ninth RBI of the season.

Illinois capitalized on a FGCU miscue and took the lead in the aforementioned top of the fifth before adding a run in the sixth on a solo homerun to right-center field off the bat of Matthew James.

Brady Anderson was then relieved by his brother, Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto HS), to start the seventh. The FGCU starter surrender three runs (one earned) on nine hits with one walk and six strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. Opposite Anderson, Hayes allowed one run on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts after also throwing 6.0 innings.

The Fighting Illini plated an insurance run in the eighth inning when Yalowitz hit a two-out, RBI single up the middle to score Turchin and push the lead to 4-1.

After Hayes and right-handed reliever Cole Bellair combined to hold FGCU hitless from the fourth inning until the ninth, Bottomley led off the last frame with a double down the left-field line and later scored when Corey Fehribach (Douglasville, Ga./West Georgia CC) hit a sac fly to center to make the score 4-2. Nonetheless, a groundout to third base and a strike out swinging ended the game and any chance at a FGCU comeback as Blackburn closed the door.

Bottomley led the Eagles after going 2-for-3 from the plate with one RBI and one run scored and has now recorded a hit in all six games this season. Noll also turned in his team-leading fourth multi-hit game of the young season after going 2-for-3 with a run scored.  

The third and final game of the series against the Midwest opponent is scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m. Redshirt sophomore Mario Leon (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) will make the start for the Green and Blue while right hander Andrew Mamlic will toe the rubber for the Fighting Illini.

NEXT UP
Following its home-opening series against Illinois, FGCU will travel to Coral Gables, Fla., for an in-state showdown against 2015 College World Series participant and preseason No. 4 Miami. The Eagles are 2-11 all-time against the Hurricanes, including registering an 8-1 win against then-No. 13 Miami a season ago.
 
DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 464-269-3 record (.632) 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 39 All-Conference selections, 25 draft picks, 16 current minor leaguers, four A-Sun Pitchers of the Year, four All-Americans, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one MLB All-Star.

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