DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – Behind a two-RBI double with one out in the ninth inning from Jake Noll and a big night from first baseman Tyler Atwell, the FGCU baseball team (3-6) outslugged Bethune-Cookman (3-5) en route to registering a 9-6 victory Friday night at Jackie Robinson Ballpark.

The win marked the fifth straight for FGCU against the Wildcats as the Eagles improved to 11-8 in the all-time series.

After surrendering a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the seventh inning, FGCU loaded the bases in the ninth before Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) ripped a two-RBI double into the gap in left-center field to score a pair and push the Eagles out in front. Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) added another run later in the inning with a sacrifice fly to left field.

"We were a little sloppy in the field and let them back in the game on a couple of occasions," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "But we got the big hit when the opportunity arose and got out of there with the win."

The Eagles broke a 1-1 tie and ran B-CU starter Alex Seibold from the game with three runs in the top of the fifth inning on a pair of RBI singles from Atwell (Venice, Fla./Tallahassee CC) and Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) and a sacrifice fly from Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) only to see the Wildcats narrow the lead to 4-3 with a run in each of the next two innings.

Again, FGCU extended its lead in the top of the seventh when Atwell launched his first home run in the Green and Blue, a two-run shot to left field, to push the margin to 6-3. However, B-CU took advantage of a couple of Eagle miscues in the field and scored three runs while sending nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the frame. With the bases loaded and one out, Clint Knoblauch (Wellington, Fla./Wellington HS) entered the game and recorded the final two outs of the inning after allowing a RBI single to the first batter he faced.

Both teams went scoreless in the eighth inning before Noll stepped to the plate and provided the big hit for the Eagles in the ninth.

Then, after retiring the first two batters in the bottom of the ninth, Knoblauch (1-0, 4.91) issued back-to-back walks and saw the tying run step to the plate in the form of Demetrius Sims, who was 3-for-6 with one RBI on the night. Nonetheless, the Wellington native was able to buckle down and get the B-CU leadoff man swinging to end the game and earn the win.

Opposite Knoblauch, Wildcat reliever Ivan Coutinho (0-1, 6.35) suffered the loss after walking the first two batters of the ninth that later scored on Noll's double. All in all, B-CU used seven pitchers in the game.

FGCU starter Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS) allowed three runs (two earned) on nine hits with two walks and three strikeouts in 6.0 innings of work. He gave way to freshman southpaw Cory Weiand (Crystal River, Fla./Seven Rivers Christian), who made his second appearance in as many games and allowed three runs (one earned) on two hits with two walks before Knoblauch entered the game.   

FGCU, who has struggled with runners in scoring position for a good part of the early season, went 6-for-14 in the category Friday night and 11-for-23 with runners on base.

The Eagles' 17 hits in the game were a new season high, surpassing the 16-hit total recorded in a 13-6 win at USF. Six Eagles recorded multiple hits in the game while three drove in two or more runs. Atwell turned in a career night as he went 3-for-5 from the plate with three runs and three RBI and hit his first home run in the Green and Blue in the top of the fifth inning. Furthermore, Morey went 4-for-4 on the night, matching a career high, and scored one run while driving in another.

FGCU and B-CU will be right back in action tomorrow at 1 p.m. at Jackie Robinson Ballpark for game two of the three-game series. Right hander Brady Anderson (0-2, 3.38) will get the start for FGCU while the Wildcats will send sophomore Tyler Norris (1-0, 6.75) to the mound the oppose him.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 466-270-3 record (.633) 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.