FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (17-17, 3-1 A-Sun) jumped out to an early lead and never looked back en route to registering a 10-1 win against NJIT (12-19, 2-4 A-Sun) in the series opener Friday night at Swanson Stadium.

The win was FGCU's fourth in its last five contests as the Green and Blue got back to .500 on the season thanks to another hot start in conference play.

Designated hitter Corey Fehribach (Douglasville, Ga./West Georgia CC) turned in his best game in the Green and Blue as he went 3-for-5, including a two-run home run, with four RBI and one run scored. Additionally, Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) extended the nation's longest hitting streak to 26 games as he went 3-for-5 with two RBI and also scored a run.

On the mound, Brady Anderson (5-4, 3.38) earned his second straight Friday-night win after allowing only one run on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts in 6.0 innings pitched. Opposite the FGCU staff, NJIT starter Sean Lubreski (4-4, 5.27) suffered the loss after getting off to a rocky start and surrendering six runs in 4.2 innings.

"We've started to swing the bats well again, and I've been impressed with our bullpen of late," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "We expect Brady to go out and give us a quality outing, and that's exactly what he did. We're looking forward to getting back out here tomorrow with the chance to keep it going."

The Eagles didn't take long to get on the scoreboard with a three-run first inning as Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) drove in a run and extended his on-base streak to 27 games on a single through the right side of the infield to get things started. Two batters later, Fehribach stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and ripped a two-RBI single to right center to get his big night started.

NJIT was quick to respond, though, as center fielder Jesse Uttendorfer hit a two-out single to right field to score Johnny Malatesta and cut the FGCU lead to 3-1.

However, after going scoreless in their second at-bat, Fehribach continued his hot start to the game and the Eagles added to its lead as the junior launched his first home run of the season over the right-center-field fence to score Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS). Later in the inning, Reardon stepped to the plate with two outs and added to the damage with a RBI single to right field.

Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) and the FGCU bullpen held the Highlander bats quiet for the remainder of the game while the Green and Blue offense was able to extend its lead to 10-1 in a four-run seventh inning. Tyler Atwell (Venice, Fla./Tallahassee CC) ripped a two-RBI single past a diving third baseman before Reardon drove in his second run of the game on his third hit of the evening and Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) capped off the scoring with a sacrifice fly to right field.

On his birthday, freshman southpaw Cory Weiand (Crystal River, Fla/Seven Rivers Christian) relieved Anderson to start the seventh and retired the first two batters of the inning, one via strikeout, before giving way to Garrison Vandeventer (Ocala, Fla./North Marian HS), who pitched the next 1.1 innings in scoreless fashion. Then, fellow freshman Philip Sieli (Wellington, Fla./Wellington HS) entered the game in the top of the ninth and pitched a perfect frame, including a strikeout, to close it out.

Five Eagles registered multiple hits in the game, led by Fehribach and Reardon's three-hit performances. Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS), Selesky and Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) each turned in two-hit games, while Morey and Bottomley each crossed the plate twice.

Game two is on tap for Saturday at 2 p.m. when FGCU will go for its second A-Sun series win of the season. Junior right hander Garrett Anderson (1-1, 4.17) will toe the rubber and oppose Highlander southpaw Ian Bentley (3-3, 4.30).

DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 480-281-3 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.