DELAND, Fla. – After being no-hit through eight innings, #9 FGCU (25-9, 2-4 ASUN) started to put together a rally in the ninth, but the Eagles ran themselves out of the inning as a pair of outs were recorded at third base and suffered a 1-0 loss to Stetson (15-19, 5-1 ASUN) Sunday afternoon at Melching Field.

Stetson starting pitcher Logan Gilbert (6-0, 1.92) lost his perfect game on a hit-by-pitch with two outs in the eighth inning, and Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff triple to start the ninth. However, Morey ran himself into an out when Eli Lovell (Lincoln, Neb./Kansas City Kansas CC/Lincoln Southwest HS) grounded to third, and the FGCU center fielder broke for home. He was tagged out in a rundown on the play.

With pinch runner Cameron Krzeminski (Coral Springs, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) on first, leadoff man Matt Reardon (Palm City, Fla./Martin County HS) bounced a hit-and-run single through the right side of the infield to put runners on the corners with one out. Again, though, FGCU recorded its second out of the inning at third base when Julio Gonzalez (Bayamon, Puerto Rico/Seminole State College (OK)/Brito Miami Private HS) ripped a line drive to Stetson third baseman Colton Lightner, who snagged it out of the air and dove for third base to double off Krzeminski and end the game.

The two teams were locked in a pitcher's duel for the third straight game this weekend as FGCU senior Garrett Anderson (2-1, 3.09) matched a season and career-high with 8.0 innings pitched but suffered the tough-luck loss after facing only five batters over the minimum. Opposite Anderson (Arcadia, Fla./DeSoto County HS), Gilbert (6-0, 1.92) flirted with both a perfect game and no hitter en route to ultimately throwing a complete-game shutout as he escaped danger in the ninth.

The one-run loss is FGCU's fourth in its last six games as the Eagles dropped their second straight series to open conference play after winning seven in a row to start the season.

"It would've been a good game to watch had I been on the other side," FGCU head coach Dave Tollett said with a smirk. "But no, hats off to Logan Gilbert. He threw a heck of a game. Garrett was great out there as well. Pitching was the story all weekend, and we got another old-fashioned duel today. Stetson was able to manufacture a run when they got the chance, and we weren't. That ended up being the difference."

Gilbert struck out the first 10 batters he faced and 13 of the first 14 as he ultimately came up one strikeout shy of matching Stetson's single-game record with 18 on the day. Anderson faced the minimum through 3.2 innings pitched and needed only 34 pitches to do so before Stetson got its second base runner of the day on an error that would've ended the fourth.  

After a one-out walk and hit-and-run single through the right side of the infield, Stetson struck first as Kirk Sidwell hit a chopper to short and beat out the potential inning-ending double play to put the Hatters out in front, 1-0.

With two outs in the eighth inning, Alex Brait (Viera, Fla./Viera HS) became the first FGCU batter to reach base as he took a fastball from Gilbert square in the back. However, the freshman designated hitter was left stranded as Gilbert registered his 18th and final strikeout of the game to end the frame.

Morey then broke up Gilbert's no-hitter with the aforementioned leadoff triple in the ninth. However, the Eagles lost the game on a pair of crucial base running mistakes that were compounded by a missed sign at the plate.

In three games this weekend, FGCU's pitching staff allowed only four earned runs in 26 innings pitched (1.38 ERA). However, the offense managed only five runs on 19 hits and struck out 39 times in the three games of action. Sunday's shutout was FGCU's first this season and first since also failing to score a run at Jacksonville on Apr. 24 of last season.

UP NEXT
FGCU travels to Coral Gables, Fla., to take on the Miami in the second of three matchups against the Hurricanes this season. Earlier this season, the Eagles defeated Miami, 3-0, in front of a Swanson Stadium record crowd of 2,074.

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 515-305-3 record (.626) 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.