FORT MYERS, Fla. – With one out and the bases loaded, pinch hitter Ryan Shinn stepped to the plate and lifted the first pitch he saw into right-center field to score Jake Noll and give FGCU (19-17, 5-1 A-Sun) its third walk-off win of the week, this one by a 4-3 margin against NJIT (12-21, 2-6 A-Sun) Sunday afternoon at Swanson Stadium.

FGCU trailed 3-1 entering the bottom the eighth inning but narrowed the deficit to one in the home half of the frame. Then, after Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) tied the game in the bottom of the ninth with a RBI single to right field, Shinn (Jobstown, N.J./Northern Burlington HS), who had been sitting on the bench for the entirety of the afternoon, delivered the walk-off sacrifice fly against his home-state opponent.

The win not only marked the first series sweep of the season for the Green and Blue, but was also its sixth win in the last seven contests to improve to two games above .500 for the second time this season. Additionally, it was the team's second win of the season when trailing after seven innings.

"It wasn't necessarily how we drew it up, but the guys showed some guts to get another dramatic win today," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "We had the momentum against us, but they found a way to get on base and get the job done. A pair of freshman delivered big hits for us in tough situations, and it's nice to see them come through like that."

After NJIT extended its lead to 3-1 on a RBI fielder's choice from Cody Kramer in the top of the eighth inning, fellow freshman Jake Smith (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Prep) stepped to the plate in pinch-hit role with the bases loaded and delivered with a RBI single to left field to cut the Highlanders lead to 3-2. However, with the bases loaded and one out, NJIT used a pair of relievers to retire the next two FGCU batters via strikeouts and maintain the lead.

Then, after Mario Leon (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) held NJIT scoreless with a quick top of the ninth inning, FGCU plated a pair in its final at-bat to cap off a dramatic week. Leadoff hitter Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS), who extended the NCAA's longest active hitting streak to 28 games in his first trip to the plate, reached on a bunt single and advance to second on a throwing error by NJIT third baseman Tom Brady to start the inning. After a Zachary Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) sacrifice bunt and walk by Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS), Selesky tied the game and extended his career-high on-base streak to 29 games with a RBI single to right field before Shinn ended it with his sacrifice fly.

Both teams were able to scratch a run across in the first inning before going scoreless until NJIT took a 2-1 lead in the top of the sixth.

After FGCU starter Ryan Lang (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS) struck out the first two batters of the game, NJIT designated hitter Stephan Halibej hit a solo home run to center field to give the Highlanders the early lead. However, the Eagles were quick to respond after Reardon hit a leadoff single in the home half and later scored on Colton Bottomley's (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) team-leading 13th double of the season.

Five innings later, NJIT scored an unearned run on Leon as the inning was extended when Michael Anastasia struck out swinging on a ball in the dirt but reached base when Matt Roberts' (Bradenton, Fla./Lakewood Ranch HS) throw brought first baseman Tyler Atwell (Venice, Fla./Tallahassee CC) off the bag. Two batters later, Justin Etts drove in Matt McKinnon and a groundout to short.

After his second impressive outing of the week and FGCU's late-inning theatrics, Leon (3-2, 3.88) earned this win. The Naples native, who also pitched 7.0 innings in Tuesday's win against No. 16 FAU, tossed the final 4.1 innings of today's game while allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits with one walk and five strikeouts.

Offensively, Bottomley and Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) recorded their third multi-hit games of the week, while Reardon added his second.

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 482-281-3 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.