CORAL GABLES, Fla. – Despite matching the Hurricanes in hits and retiring 14 of the last 15 batters faced, the FGCU baseball team (24-27, 9-9 A-Sun) couldn't overcome an early deficit as they fell to No. 2 Miami (41-9, 19-6 ACC), 8-3, Tuesday night at Mark Light Field.
 
After falling in a 5-0 hole through two innings of play, the Green and Blue played Miami even for the last seven innings of the game but failed to make up any ground on the home-standing Hurricanes.
 
Making his first collegiate start in a hostile road environment, Cory Weiand (0-1, 10.80) suffered the loss for FGCU, while Miami starter Jesse Lepore (8-0, 2.37) earned the win for Miami and Keven Pimentel recorded the save.
 
"We hung tough in the later innings but couldn't get out of the early hole," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "It was tough for us to get anything going with nine strikeouts on the night, and we have to do a better job of putting the bat on the ball in some key situations."
 
After Miami put its first two batters aboard in the home half of the first, cleanup hitter Brandon Lopez got the Hurricanes out to an early lead with a two-RBI single through the right side of the infield.
 
The first three batters of the bottom of the second then reached and Miami took a 3-0 lead on a RBI single to left field from Edgar Michelangeli to run Weiand (Crystal River, Fla./Seven Rivers Christian) from the game. Garrett Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS) entered in relief and recorded the first out on a sacrifice bunt before hitting a batter and walking another to give the Hurricanes a 4-0 lead. Lopez drove in his second run on a RBI groundout to push the lead to 5-0.
 
FGCU cut into the Miami lead in the top of the third as Zachary Orchard (Cambridge, Ontario/Jacob Hespeler Secondary School) and Zach Spivey (Ormond Beach, Fla./Spruce Creek HS) led off the frame with a walk and single, respectively, and later scored as A-Sun Player of the Week Tyler Selesky (Estero, Fla./Estero HS) hit a two-out, two-RBI single to center field to make it a 5-2 ballgame.
 
After Miami capitalized on a FGCU fielding miscue to score three runs in the bottom of the fifth, two of which were unearned, the Green and Blue again cut into the lead as Jake Noll (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) hit a RBI single to third base to score Spivey, who lead off the inning with a double down the right-field line.
 
Right-handed pitcher Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS) entered the game with one out in the fourth and retired all eight batters faced, three via strikeouts, to keep the Eagles within striking distance, while teammate Philip Sieli (Wellington, Fla./Wellington HS) took the mound in the bottom of the seventh and worked the Eagles' third straight perfect frame.
 
FGCU again threatened to draw closer in the top of the eighth as they put runners on the corners with one out after a pinch hit double from Corey Fehribach (Douglasville, Ga./West Georgia CC) and an infield single from Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS), but a 5-4-3 double play ended the threat with no damage done.
 
After Nick Blasucci (Fort Myers, Fla./Riverdale HS) worked around a leadoff single by retiring the next three batters faced in the bottom of the eighth, the Eagles went down in order as a sharp liner to third base destined for extra bases was snagged out of the air by Michelangeli.
 
Seven different Eagles registered hits in the game, but FGCU was unable to string anything together past the third and fifth innings. Jake Smith (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Prep) extended his hit streak to 10 games as he collected his seventh multi-hit game during the span, while Spivey joined him with two hits and two runs scored on the night.

NEXT UP
The Eagles host Kennesaw State (26-25, 14-4 A-Sun) in the regular season finale this weekend at Swanson Stadium. Game one is scheduled to begin Thursday at 6:30 p.m. followed by game two Friday at 6:30 p.m. and the series finale Saturday at noon. Five seniors members of the Green and Blue will be honored for their contributions to the program prior to first pitch Saturday afternoon.

DAVE TOLLETT
In 14 seasons of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 487-291-3 record (.625) 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.