BOCA RATON, Fla. – Coming off a dramatic week during which the team went 4-0 with three walk-off wins, the FGCU baseball team (19-17, 5-1 A-Sun) travels to Boca Raton, Fla., for a rematch of last week's extra-inning thriller against No. 17 FAU (25-8, 11-4 C-USA) Tuesday at the FAU Baseball Stadium.
 
Tuesday's game versus the in-state Owls marks FGCU's fifth contest versus a team that has been ranked at some point this season, including its second against FAU. Just last week, the Green and Blue recorded its first win versus a ranked opponent in 2016 by defeating then-No. 16 FAU, 3-2, in extra innings.
 
"We have a little bit of momentum on our side, but there is definitely still room for improvement," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "We received some of our best pitching of the season in last Tuesday's win and are going to need more of that to come away with another win against a tough FAU team. It's another good opportunity for our team, though, and we're looking forward to it."
 
SCOUTING THE OWLS
The Owls enter Tuesday's game with a 25-8 overall record and No. 17 national ranking after most recently going 2-2 a week ago, including the extra-inning loss in Fort Myers. FAU has won a total of 10 two and three-game series this season, including a pair of games at then-No. 11 Mississippi State to start the season. Against a pair of familiar opponents in Rutgers and Florida, the Owls won two of three against the Scarlet Knights while dropping a 2-1 decision in a midweek matchup against then-No. 1 Florida last week.
 
Offensively, FAU has posted a .295 average as a team, led by junior infielder CJ Chatham and redshirt-junior first baseman Esteban Puerta, who have posted .376 and .321 clips, respectively, while appearing and starting in every game this season. Puerta leads the team with five home runs and 35 RBI, while Chatham is right on his heels with four long balls and 30 driven in.
 
In 2015, FAU turned in a 42-19 overall record to finish second in C-USA behind Rice University. The Owls, who were ranked as high as No. 12 in the country at one point in the season, made a run to the conference semifinals but dropped a 10-0 decision to UAB before earning the No. 2 seed in the Gainesville Regional. FAU lost its opening game of the NCAA Tournament, 5-3, to USF before responding to win an 8-1 game against FAMU and an 8-4 rematch versus USF. Needing to win a pair against No. 3 national seed Florida, the Owls season ended in a 2-1 loss to the Gators.
 
SERIES HISTORY
FGCU holds a 10-5 advantage in the all-time series against FAU, including a 5-1 mark on the road, and has won three of the last four meetings. In their most recent matchup last week at Swanson Stadium, FGCU won an extra-inning thriller as sophomore outfielder Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) hit a RBI single to score Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) and give the Green and Blue the walk-off win in the bottom of the 11th inning.

THE MATCHUP
In his 14th season of work at FGCU, Tollett has compiled a 482-281-3 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. On Tuesday, Tollett matches up with John McCormack, who has posted a 268-171 record in seven-plus years with FAU. McCormack has led the Owls to a trio of NCAA Regional appearances, most recently in 2015, and was named to 2010 Sun Belt Conference Coach of Year in his second season as the head man in Boca Raton.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR
FGCU shortstop Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) hit safely in all four games last week and extended his program-record and NCAA-long hit streak to 28 games dating back to Feb. 20. 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) reaches safely in all four games last week to extend his career and season-long on-base streak to 29 games. Selesky has also hit safely in seven straight games.

FLARE FOR THE DRAMATIC
The Green and Blue just capped off a 4-0 week with three of its wins coming in walk-off fashion. Along with the aforementioned walk-off against FAU last Tuesday, FGCU won the last two games of its weekend set against NJIT in ninth-inning drama. Spivey did it again Saturday as he stepped to the plate with one out and the bases loaded and hit a single through the left side of the infield to again score Morey. Then, in Sunday's finale, pinch hitter Ryan Shinn (Jobstown, N.J./Northern Burlington HS) ended the game and secured FGCU's first series sweep of the season with a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS).

PRODUCTION AT THE TOP
FGCU's quartet of Reardon, Selesky, Noll and Colton Bottomley (Parkland, Fla./Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS) have been big-time producers to this point in the season. They not only rank 1-4 in batting average, but have collectively gone 197-for-551 (.358) from the plate. Additionally, the group of Eagles has not only accounted for 55% of the teams hits, but has also totaled 111 runs scored (54%), 41 doubles (62%), 10 home runs (71%) and 110 RBI (58%) through 36 games.

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. 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)	290-197-1	158-72
2.	UNF (2008-present)	271-216	122-106
3.	Kennesaw State (2008-present)	260-235	134-92
4.	Stetson (2008-present)	256-250	124-104
5.	Mercer (2008-14)	243-156	115-82
6.	Lipscomb (2008-present)	241-259	115-112
7.	Jacksonville (2008-present)	232-256	109-117
8.	ETSU (2008-14)	197-201	88-110
9.	USC Upstate (2008-present)	189-282	78-148
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)	12-21	2-6

 
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 fourth. 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 tied for seventh 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)	238
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.	Jake Noll (2014-present)	128
9.	Nick Rivera (2013-present)	126
10.	Jason Cooper (2003-05)	121

 
FGCU CAREER STOLEN BASES

1.	Josh Upchurch (2006-09)	61
2.	Jake Noll (2014-present)	47
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, innings pitched and wins.
 
FGCU CAREER APPEARANCES

1.	J.J. Crumbley (2005-08)	86
2.	RJ Brown (2010-13)	82
3.	Brady Anderson (2012-present)	70
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)	254.1
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

 
FGCU CAREER WINS

1.	Pete Woodworth (2007-10)	25
	Jason Kiley (2004-07)	25
3.	Michael Murray (2013-15)	23
	Ricky Knapp (2011-13)	23
5.	Chris Sale (2008-10)	20
6.	J.J. Crumbley (2005-08)	19
7.	Richard Bleier (2006-08)	17
8.	Brady Anderson (2012-present)	16
	Casey Coleman (2006-08)	16
10.	Richie Erath (2008-11, 13)	15

 
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 travels to Jacksonville for its first A-Sun road series of the season this weekend. Game one against the Dolphins, who currently sit one place behind FGCU in the conference standings, is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m., and will be followed by game two Saturday at 1 p.m. and the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. The Eagles currently hold a 16-9 advantage in the all-time series against Jacksonville.
 
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.