CORAL GABLES, Fla. – After claiming a one-run lead in the top of the third inning, the FGCU baseball team (2-6) couldn't hold on as they dropped a 6-2 decision to No. 5 Miami (6-2) Wednesday night at Mark Light Field. 

After Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) extended the top of the third inning with a two-out single, Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) gave FGCU a 2-1 lead with a two-run home run to right field. The local product sent a 1-0 pitch for a ride down the right-field line as it cleared the fence to give the Eagles the one-run advantage. It was the first home run of the season for Selesky and the second of his career. 

"I liked how we responded from getting in an early hole, but we did nothing to keep the momentum going," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "You have to score some runs to hang with a good offensive team like Miami, and we weren't able to do that tonight. From a pitching standpoint, we left a couple balls up in the zone, and they made us pay."

The long ball played a big role for the Hurricanes as well as catcher Zack Collins hit a pair on the night, including a two-run, go-ahead shot in the bottom of the fifth. With two outs and two strikes, Collins lifted a pitched to left that cleared the glove of a leaping Brady Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) and allowed Miami to reclaim its lead. Earlier in the game, the Miami catcher drove a 2-1 pitch off the scoreboard in left-center field to give the Hurricanes a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. 

FGCU was unable to string a comeback effort together after reaching base on only two occasions past the third inning and being held hitless in the final three frames. The Eagles looked to have something going with two outs in the sixth inning after Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) and Tyler Atwell (Venice, Fla./Tallahassee CC) reached on back-to-back singles, but right hander Frankie Bartow relieved Miami starter Jesse Lepore and got out of the inning unscathed. 

The Hurricanes plated a trio of insurance runs in the later innings as Christopher Barr brought in Edgar Michelangeli on a RBI groundout to short in the seventh inning and Michelangeli later hit a one-out double to left to score Brandon Lopez and Willie Abreu in the eighth.  

Redshirt sophomore Parker Hamilton (Jupiter, Fla./Jupiter HS) suffered the loss out of the bullpen for FGCU while Lepore (1-0, 2.84) earned the win for Miami. 

On a scheduled bullpen day for the Green and Blue, Hamilton (0-1, 6.75) relieved starter Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) to start the fourth inning. Anderson allowed the first-inning home run to Collins, but settled down nicely to get through the next two innings without further damage while allowing four hits and striking out a pair. Hamilton then pitched the next three-plus innings and allowed three runs on three hits with two strikeouts and four walks before being relieved by right hander Ryan Lang (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS). Lang then gave up the final two Miami runs in the eighth inning before giving way to southpaw Cory Weiand (Crystal River, Fla./Seven Rivers Christian), who recorded the final two outs. 

A trio of Miami relievers combined to pitch the final 3.1 innings as Bartow and Hammond retired seven straight hitters from the sixth through the eighth innings before Bryan Garcia struck out the side to close the door in the ninth. 

FGCU was plagued by an inability to put the ball in play and struck out 11 times without drawing a walk. In the opposite dugout, Miami struck out four times and drew a free pass on six occasions. 

Tonight's loss at Miami ends a tough eight-game stretch to start the season as FGCU played seven of its first eight contests against 2015 Super Regional participants and all eight against 2015 NCAA Tournament teams.
 
NEXT UP
For the second of three weekends to start the season, FGCU will hit the road for a weekend series with a three-game set at Bethune-Cookman. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 6 p.m. while game two and the series finale with take place on Saturday and Sunday, respectively, at 1 p.m. The Eagles are 10-8 all-time against the Wildcats and have won each of the last four matchups.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 465-270-3 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.