PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – After being held hitless in the first six innings, the FGCU baseball team (4-8) exploded for six runs in a wild seventh inning but couldn't hold on as they ultimately dropped a 7-6 decision to Michigan State (10-1) Wednesday afternoon at the North Charlotte Regional Park.

The Eagles jumped ahead of the Spartans, 6-2, after sending 10 batters to the plate and scoring six runs in the top of the seventh inning. However, Michigan State responded with a five-run bottom of the eighth to reclaim the lead, 7-6, and hold on for the win.

FGCU freshman Ryan Lang (2-1, 6.04) suffered his first loss of the season in his second midweek start after allowing seven runs on 11 hits with three strikeouts in a career high 7.1 innings pitched. Opposite the Eagle right hander, Alex Troop (3-0, 1.64) earned the win after coming out of the bullpen for the Spartans while southpaw Joe Mockbee recorded his third save of the season.

"I was proud of our guys' effort to fight back and take the lead," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "Ryan pitched a heck of game, but a couple of hits that founds holes in our defense proved to be the difference. We have to avoid the big inning in those situations. We'll be back in the comfort of our own stadium this weekend and are certainly excited about that."

After Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) and Tyler Atwell (Venice, Fla./Tallahassee CC) reached on a hit by pitch and walk to start the seventh inning, Brady Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) dropped a sacrifice bunt down the third-base line and reached as MSU pitcher Dakota Meekes' throw pulled first baseman Justin Hovis off the bag. Then, with the bases loaded and nobody out, Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) hit a RBI single off the pitcher's glove to score Selesky and register FGCU's first hit of the game. Jay Hayes (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) stepped to the plate in a similar situation and hit into what appeared to be a 6-4-3 double play, but an errant throw from shortstop Royce Ando allowed Atwell and Anderson to score and gave FGCU the 3-2 lead. A trio of RBI singles from Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS), Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) and Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) kept the momentum going and pushed the Eagles ahead, 6-2.

An inning later, Lang (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS), who had allowed only two runs on six hits and was coming off a perfect frame in the seventh inning, ran into some trouble in the eighth. He allowed the first three Spartan hitters to reach on singles and a run to score before forcing Marty Bechina to fly out to left field. Then, a two-RBI single from Jordan Zimmerman brought MSU to within one run and Lang was later relieved by Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) with one out and runners on first and second. Anderson recorded a big second out and kept the Spartan runners put as Troop flied out to center field, but a pair of two-out RBI singles from Ando and Dan Durkin allowed MSU to reclaim the lead. Brandon Hughes, who reached on a controversial judgment call at first base earlier in the inning, scored the go-ahead run for the Spartans.

Down to their final three outs in the ninth inning, Reardon hit a one-out double to left field before Bottomley ripped what appeared to be the game-tying hit to right. However, Spartan outfielder Kris Simonton's defensive placement allowed him to make the catch and keep Reardon at second. Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) then drew a two-out walk before Selesky went down swinging on a 2-2 count to end the game.

Reardon was the lone FGCU hitter to register a multiple-hit game as he went 2-for-4 with one RBI in the game. Additionally, Noll extended his season-high hit streak to 10 games and has still reached in every game this season.

The Spartans received a quartet of mutli-hit performances, led by Simonton's 3-for-3 night with two runs scored and one RBI.

NEXT UP
FGCU returns to Fort Myers and hosts Quinnipiac for the first time in program history for a four-game series this weekend. Game one of the weekend series is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m., followed by a doubleheader Saturday at 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. with the series finale taking place Sunday at noon. Changes may be made in order to avoid conflicts with a potential A-Sun Women's Basketball Championship Sunday afternoon. Stay tuned for updates.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 467-272-3 record (.631) 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.