FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (13-16, 0-0 A-Sun) hung tough with No. 2 Miami (24-4, 10-2 ACC) for five innings, but a three-run sixth was all the in-state Hurricanes needed to secure a 4-0 win in front of a crowd a 2,254 at Hammond Stadium Tuesday night.

FGCU starter Mario Leon (2-2, 4.89) pitched well into the sixth after striking out Miami first baseman Christopher Barr to start the frame. However, the right hander ran into some trouble after allowing a single to Zack Collins and hitting Jacob Heyward with a pitch and was relieved by Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS) with runners on first and second and one out. The Hurricanes were then able to string together a trio of RBI singles from Johnny Ruiz, Brandon Lopez and Edgar Michelangeli to assume a 3-0 lead, while Miami starter Jesse Lepore (4-0, 2.34) and the Hurricane bullpen held the FGCU bets in check.

Leon (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) suffered the loss for the Green and Blue after allowing two runs on four hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched, while Lepore pitched 7.0 scoreless innings and earned his second win of the season in the in-state matchup.  

"We didn't hit the ball well enough to win tonight," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "At the same time, though, we had five line-drive outs. Lepore is a good pitcher, but I think we helped him out a little and didn't take advantage of a couple of counts in our favor."

FGCU ended a Miami threat in the top of the fifth with a 6-4-3 double play and carried the momentum into the home half of the inning as Jake Smith (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Prep) broke a streak of 10 consecutive outs with a leadoff hit by pitch. Fellow freshman Nick Blasucci (Fort Myers, Fla./Riverdale HS) then stepped to the plate with one out and ripped what appeared to be a RBI double into the gap in left-center field. However, Heyward made a nice running catch and forced Smith to retreat to first base while preventing any damage.

Following Miami's three-run sixth, FGCU shortstop Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) extended his career-high hit streak to 21 games – third longest in program history – with a leadoff single through the right side of the infield. However, the Eagles couldn't string anything together and mount a comeback.

Frankie Bartow and Bryan Garcia came out of the bullpen for the Hurricanes and collectively allowed one hit with one strikeout in the final 2.0 innings as their offense was able to add an insurance run off FGCU reliever Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) in the top of the eighth.

Offensively, the Green and Blue were held to a season-low three hits coming on Reardon's 2-for-4 night and Jake Noll's (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) 1-for-4 performance. Additionally, Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the first inning to match a career high by reaching base in 22 consecutive games.

For the Hurricanes, Lopez led the way by going 3-for-4 with two RBI while Heyward added two hits and two runs.

NEXT UP
FGCU remains in Fort Myers to host Stetson (16-13) for the A-Sun Conference opener this weekend. Game one of the three-game set is scheduled for Friday at 6:30 p.m., followed by game two Saturday at 2 p.m. and the series finale Sunday at 1 p.m. FGCU holds a 17-9 advantage in the all-time series against the Hatters.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 13+ seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 476-280-3 record (.629) 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.