DELAND, Fla. – Behind a stellar performance on the mound from Josh Dye and clutch, two-out hitting from Corey Fehribach, #9 FGCU (25-9, 2-3 ASUN) snapped a five-game losing streak and handed Stetson (14-19, 4-1 ASUN) its first conference loss of the season as the Eagles defeated the Hatters, 4-2, Saturday afternoon at Melching Field.

Pitching in his hometown and in front of his family and friends, Dye (6-1, 2.70) went a career-best 7.0 innings for the second time this season and allowed one unearned run while giving up only four singles and striking out six. The Eagles' southpaw faced five over the minimum and retired 11 straight Hatters from the second inning until the fifth en route to earning the win.

After struggling at the plate since last weekend's conference opener, Fehribach (Douglasville, Ga./West Georgia CC/Alexander HS) busted out of his slump in a big way as he broke a 1-1 tie with a RBI single in the top of the eighth and provided a pair of insurance runs with a two-RBI base knock in the top of the ninth.

Senior right hander Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS) relieved Dye (DeLand, Fla./DeLand HS) to start the bottom of the eighth and recorded the six-out save. The save was Koerner's ASUN-best 10th of the season, which also breaks FGCU's single-season program record that had stood since 2010.

With the win, the Eagles snapped a five-game skid during which its last three losses had come by one-run with two coming in walk-off fashion.

"We like this taste better than that of the last five, I'll tell you that," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "Today was the best I've seen Josh Dye pitch. He didn't have his fastball, but he had great command of his change-up and slider. It was good for him to do it in his hometown. Those three RBI from Corey were the difference in the game. Corey's a senior. He knows there are going to be ups and downs throughout the course of the season, and he came through for us today. We'll get back out there tomorrow and see if we can win the series."

Stetson got on the scoreboard early as the Hatters plated an unearned run in their first at-bat. After reaching on an error to start the home half, leadoff man Jacob Koos advanced to second on a wild pitch, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a sacrifice fly from Mike Spooner.

FGCU threatened to even the score in its next at-bat after Eli Lovell (Lincoln, Neb./Kansas City Kansas CC/Lincoln Southwest HS) hit a leadoff double down the right-field line and advanced to third on a sacrifice bunt. However, the junior left fielder was stranded as Stetson starter Jack Perkins struck out the next two FGCU batters to end the frame.

Four innings later, Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS) needed just one swing to tie things up as he sent a 2-0 fastball from Perkins over the fence in left field. It was Rivera's team-best seventh home run of the season and 33rd of his illustrious FGCU career. Additionally, it extended the redshirt senior's on-base streak to 26 games.

Stetson left hander Ben Onyshko entered the game in relief of Perkins in the top of the eighth and retired the first two Eagles he faced in five pitches. However, Rivera started a two-out rally with his 67th career double to left field. Three pitches later, he came in to score as Fehribach delivered a RBI single to right field to break a 1-1 tie.

After Dye and Koerner continued to hold the Hatters scoreless, the Eagles loaded the bases for the second straight frame in the top of the ninth. After leaving three stranded in the eighth, Fehribach delivered another clutch, two-out base knock as his single through the right side scored Julio Gonzalez (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Seminole State College (OK)/Brito Miami Private HS) and Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) to make it a 4-1 ballgame.

Stetson tacked on a run in the bottom of the ninth and sent the tying run to the plate with another runner on third, but Koerner was able to seal the deal as he got Austin Hale to line out to center field to end the game.

Offensively, five of FGCU's nine hits went for extra bases, while the Eagles' two through four hitters in Morey, Rivera and Fehribach accounted for seven of the nine base knocks. Morey led the way with his second three-hit game of the season, while Rivera and Fehribach added two hits apiece and drove in all four runs. For Rivera, it was his sixth straight game with a hit and second straight with a pair.  

UP NEXT
The series finale between the Eagles and Hatters in on tap for Sunday at 1 p.m. at Melching Field. FGCU will send senior right hander Garrett Anderson (2-0, 3.53) to the mound to square off with Stetson sophomore Logan Gilbert (5-0, 2.32).

TICKETS
Single game and season ticket packages for the 2017 FGCU baseball season are now on sale. Season tickets for games contested at Swanson Stadium can be purchased for $99, while single game tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for youth (12 and under), military and groups. For questions or more information, please contact the FGCU Ticket Office at 239-590-7145.

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.

DAVE TOLLETT
In his 15th season of work, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 515-304-3 record (.627) as the only head coach in the program's history. He is a four-time ASUN Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to four ASUN Regular Season Championships. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions by multiple media outlets and has coached 42 All-Conference selections, 27 draft picks, three current major leaguers, 15 current minor leaguers, four ASUN Pitchers of the Year, four All-Americans, two ASUN Players of the Year, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one five-time MLB All-Star.

#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 visit www.fgcu.edu/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.