FORT MYERS, Fla. – Coming off an extra-inning win against No. 16 FAU, the FGCU baseball team (16-17, 2-1 A-Sun) welcomes conference newcomer NJIT (12-18, 2-3 A-Sun) for a three-game series at Swanson Stadium this weekend. Game one is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m. and will be followed by game two Saturday at 2 p.m. and the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m.
 
Winners of three of its last four games, FGCU will stick with its weekend rotation of late as redshirt-senior Brady Anderson (4-4, 3.58) will remain the Friday night starter and oppose NJIT freshman Sean Lubreski (4-3, 3.97). Younger brother Garrett Anderson (1-1, 4.17) will then toe the rubber and face southpaw Ian Bentley (3-3, 4.30) in game two, while freshman Ryan Lang (2-3, 6.32) will get the start in the series finale opposite Bryan Haberstroh (0-3, 5.53).
 
"We're coming off a big win against a ranked FAU team, and I think it's going to help us moving forward," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "NJIT is a team we're not as familiar with, but they're going to present a challenge and we're going to have to play well to come away with wins this weekend."
 
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
NJIT invades Swanson Stadium with a 12-18 overall record and 2-3 mark in conference play this season. The Highlanders opened the A-Sun season a week prior to the rest of the league and earned a pair of wins against USC Upstate before the finale was cancelled due to inclement weather. Most recently, they traveled to Kennesaw State and were swept by the home-standing Owls.
 
Offensively, NJIT is hitting .256 as a team, which ranks seventh in the conference. They're led by a pair of everyday starters in Jesse Uttendorfer and Johnny Malatesta, who have posted batting averages of .297 and .295, respectively, to this point in the season. Uttendorfer leads the team with 35 hits and 22 runs on the year, while Evan Pietronico leads the way with 20 RBI.
 
In 2015, the Highlanders posted a 24-23-1 overall record. After competing in the Great West Conference up until the 2014 season, NJIT has played its last two season without a conference affiliation.
 
THE MATCHUP
In his 14th season of work at FGCU, Tollett has compiled a 479-281-3 all-time record as the only head coach in program history. Additionally, he is a four-time A-Sun Coach of the Year and has guided the Eagles to four A-Sun Regular Season Championships. This weekend, Tollett matches up with NJIT skipper Brian Guiliana, who has gone 76-100-1 after becoming the Highlanders' coach prior to the 2013 season.
 
LAST TIME OUT
With two outs in the bottom of the 11th inning, Zach Spivey hit a single through the left side of the infield and Gage Morey was able to slide just around the tag of FAU catcher Gunnar Lambert to give FGCU a 3-2 win against No. 16 FAU Tuesday night at Swanson Stadium.

Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) stepped to the plate 0-for-5 on the evening but came up big when it mattered most as he slapped a 1-0 pitch to the opposite field and brought home Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) for the walk-off win.

FGCU starter Mario Leon (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) turned in his best outing of the season as he pitched a career-high 7.0 innings and allowed one unearned run on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts. Clint Knoblauch (3-0, 8.44) entered the game as it went into extra innings and held the Owls scoreless to earn the win.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
FGCU shortstop Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) hit a single up the middle in the bottom of the ninth inning Tuesday night to extend his hit streak to 25 games dating back to Feb. 20. The 25-game streak stands as the new program record, surpassing Josh Chester's 24-game streak from 2009, and is also the longest active streak in the NCAA. Reardon missed seven games at the start of the season, but has hit in every game except the season opener at No. 1 Florida. Additionally, Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) has reached base in 26 straight contests, setting a new career high in the category and surpassing Jake Noll's (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) 25-game streak to start the season for a new FGCU season long.

MARCH MADNESS
In 18 games during March, Noll put up monster numbers from the plate, going 30-for-78 (.385) with 22 runs scored, six doubles, seven home runs and 35 RBI. He hit safely in 16 of 18 games while recording multiple hits in eight contests, and recently snapped a career-high 35-game on-base streak that ranked as the fourth-longest such streak in D1 program history, trailing Zach Maxfield (65), Mikel Alvarez (43) and Jason Peacock (41).

PRODUCTION AT THE TOP
The top four hitters in the FGCU order – Reardon, Selesky, Noll and Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) – have been big-time producers through the first 33 games of the season. They not only rank 1-4 in batting average, but have collectively gone 177-for-506 (.350) from the plate. Additionally, the quartet of Eagles have accounted for 99 runs scored (53 percent), 177 hits (55 percent), 39 doubles (61 percent), 10 home runs (77 percent) and 103 RBI (60 percent) to this point in the season.

PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
FGCU has earned a pair of A-Sun Player of the Week honors with Bottomley and Noll both taking home the distinction for the first time in their careers this season. The Eagles earned three weekly awards last season.

Bottomley earned the weekly distinction on Feb. 29 after putting up big offensive numbers and helping the Eagles to a pair of wins against 2015 NCAA Tournament teams. The senior outfielder was 8-for-16 from the plate with five RBI, four runs scored, two doubles and two walks and matched a career high with four RBI in a 13-6 win at USF. He then went 5-for-10 from the plate in a three-game series against defending Big Ten Champion Illinois.
 
Noll received the honors on March 14 after he helped lead the Eagles to a 3-1 series win and put up monster numbers from the plate in a four-game series against Quinnipiac. The Punta Gorda native went 11-for-24 from the plate with nine runs scored, three home runs and 15 RBI in five games during the week. He set a career high with five RBI in the series opener against the Bobcats and turned in the first multi-home run game of his career in the first game of a doubleheader Saturday.  
 
CONFERENCE DOMINANCE
Since joining the A-Sun in 2008, FGCU has not only won more regular-season conference championships (four) than any other member of the A-Sun, but has also won more overall and league games than any other conference opponent. Additionally, the Eagles have claimed 55 of 75 two and three-game series against conference opponents since joining the league. The following is list of overall and conference records for teams that have competed in the A-Sun since 2008.
 

No.	School	Overall	A-Sun
1.	FGCU (2008-present)	287-197-1	155-72
2.	UNF (2008-present)	268-216	119-106
3.	Kennesaw State (2008-present)	257-235	131-92
4.	Stetson (2008-present)	256-247	124-101
5.	Mercer (2008-14)	243-156	115-82
6.	Lipscomb (2008-present)	240-257	114-110
7.	Jacksonville (2008-present)	230-255	107-116
8.	ETSU (2008-14)	197-201	88-110
9.	USC Upstate (2008-present)	189-279	78-145
10.	Belmont (2008-12)	158-139	78-68
11.	Campbell (2008-11)	93-125	31-85
12.	NKU (2013-15)	39-118	14-61
13.	Gardner-Webb (2008)	29-30	15-18
14.	NJIT (2016)	12-18	2-3

 
CLIMBING THE RANKS
Senior designated hitter Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS), who was sidelined with a season-ending wrist injury in game one of a two-game midweek series with Rutgers on March 15, has made his mark in FGCU program history as he not only holds the career record for doubles with 63, but also ranks among the top 10 in program history in a number of categories. The Cape Coral native ranks third in home runs (26) and RBI (160) while also ranking fourth in games started (182), fifth in games played (187), seventh in hits (215) and eighth in runs scored (126). Additionally, his 63 doubles is good for the active lead in the NCAA while his 160 RBI ranks tied for third. Rivera hopes to be eligible to utilize a medical redshirt at the season's end and return in 2017.

Like Rivera, Noll also makes his way up the list of career batting average, hits, RBI and runs scored and nears the program record for stolen bases. Additionally, he holds the seventh-highest active career batting average in the NCAA while ranking eighth among active players in career hits.

FGCU CAREER BATTING AVERAGE

1.	Chris Brown (2003-04)	.435
2.	David Cox (2003)	.430
3.	Jason Peacock (2007-08)	.380
4.	Jason Cooper (2003-05)	.375
5.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	.371
6.	Jason Kouwsma (2005-06)	.367
7.	Jake Noll (2014-present)	.365
8.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	.360
9.	Ian Manson (2005-06)	.359
10.	Ozzie Borrell (2007-08)	.356

FGCU CAREER HITS

1.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	316
2.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	311
3.	Stephen Wickens (2008-11)	259
4.	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	247
5.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	241
6.	Jake Noll (2014-present)	234
7.	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	215
8.	Brandon Bednar (2001-13)	206
9.	Jason Cooper (2003-05)	203
10.	Mike Reeves (2010-13)	201

FGCU CAREER RBI

1.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	180
	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	180
3.	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	160
4.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	154
5.	Jason Cooper (2003-05)	149
6.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	137
7.	Jason Louwsma (2005-06)	135
8.	Ozzie Borrell (2007-08)	117
9.	Sean Dwyer (20011-13)	114
10.	Jake Noll (2014-present)	112

 
FGCU CAREER RUNS SCORED

1.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	237
2.	Mikel Alvarez (2008-11)	202
3.	Stephen Wickens (2008-11)	178
4.	Zach Maxfield (2009-11)	158
5.	Tim Roberson (2008-11)	156
6.	Chris Perry (2003-06)	134
7.	Jake Smith (2005-08)	129
8.	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	126
9.	Jake Noll (2014-present)	124
10.	Jason Cooper (2003-05)	121

 
FGCU CAREER STOLEN BASES

1.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	61
2.	Jake Noll (2014-present)	45
3.	Stephen Wickens (2008-11)	36
4.	Chris Brown (2003-04)	27
5.	Michael Suchy (2012-14)	22

 
On the mound, Brady Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) also makes his way up the list of career appearances and innings pitched.
 
FGCU CAREER APPEARANCES

1.	J.J. Crumbley (2005-08)	86
2.	RJ Brown (2010-13)	82
3.	Brady Anderson (2012-present)	69
4.	Jason Kiley (2004-07)	65
5.	Jason Forjet (2009-12)	63

 
FGCU CAREER INNINGS PITCHED

1.	Jason Kiley (2004-07)	284.2
2.	Michael Murray (2013-15)	284.0
3.	Ricky Knapp (2011-13)	283.1
4.	Pete Woodworth (2007-10)	272.2
5.	Brady Anderson (2012-present)	248.1
6.	Chris Sale (2008-10)	228.2
7.	Jason Forjet (2009-12)	220.2
8.	Richie Erath (2008-11, 13)	219.2
9.	Richard Bleier (2006-08)	209.2
10.	Casey Coleman (2006-08)	187.2

 
RECEIVING VOTES
For the third-consecutive year, FGCU was receiving votes in Collegiate Baseball's Fabulous 40 NCAA Division I Preseason Poll. The A-Sun was represented by four teams as defending tournament champion Lipscomb, defending regular season champion UNF and Stetson were also receiving votes. Additionally, as the A-Sun Preseason Honors and Awards were released in January, the Green and Blue were chosen to finish runner-up to UNF in the preseason coaches poll. The Eagles garnered 50 points and received three of eight first-place votes while the Ospreys collected 58 points and four first-place votes. Lipscomb was selected third with 48 points, followed by Stetson in fourth with 43 points and the lone remaining first-place vote and Kennesaw State in fifth after receiving 37 votes. The preseason top five was separated by only 21 points. Jacksonville (28), USC Upstate (14) and conference newcomer NJIT (8) round out the poll.
 
2016 SCHEDULE
The Eagles' schedule features seven teams that participated in the 2015 NCAA Base­ball Tournament including a pair of College World Series participants, an additional Super Regional participant and three conference champions. The seven NCAA Tournament teams include CWS semifinalist, defending SEC Tournament Champion and preseason No. 1 Florida, CWS participant and preseason No. 4 Miami, Super Regional participant Illinois, defending A-Sun Tournament Champion Lipscomb, defending MEAC Tournament Champion FAMU and a pair of familiar in-state foes in USF and FAU. A total of 19 games, including the first eight games of the season, will be played against those seven programs.
 
TICKETS
Single-game and season tickets for the 2016 FGCU baseball campaign are now available by calling the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145 or visiting FGCUTickets.com. The ticket office is also open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. for walk-up service. Single-game tickets are $7 for adults, while youth (12 and under), military and members of the alumni association are admitted for $5. Season tickets are $89 for adults and $59 for youth, military and alumni, but exclude the game against Miami at Hammond Stadium on Apr. 5.
 
NEXT UP
FGCU has a quick turnaround before traveling to Boca Raton, Fla., for a rematch with No. 16 FAU Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Earlier this week, the Eagles and Owls met in Swanson Stadium as FGCU claimed a 3-2 extra-inning win. In the all-time series with FAU, the Green and Blue holds a 10-5 advantage.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 479-281-3 record (.630) 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.