FORT MYERS, Fla. – Needing a pair of wins to guarantee itself a spot in the ASUN Baseball Championship at the end of the month, FGCU (34-16, 10-8 ASUN) got just that as the Green and Blue capped off a sweep of Lipscomb (26-23, 8-10 ASUN) with two wins Saturday afternoon and evening at Swanson Stadium. The Eagles defeated the Bisons, 9-6, in game one before turning around a couple hours later and capping off the night with a 14-7 win.

FGCU joins Jacksonville, UNF and Stetson as teams to clinch their spots in the conference tournament with two more spots still up for grabs. Currently in fourth place, the Eagles could find themselves as high as the No. 2 seed depending on how things shape up in the regular season finales next weekend.

The Green and Blue not only extends its win streak to six games for the third time this season, but has also emerged victorious in six straight games against the Bisons dating back to last season. Additionally, it was FGCU's first weekend sweep against Lipscomb since 2011.

Prior to Saturday night's finale, a group of eight seniors and redshirt juniors were recognized for their achievements and contributions to the FGCU program during the past few seasons.

"The guys played hard all weekend, and our offense was really special," said FGCU head coach Dave Tollett. "It's really good, especially at this time of year, to see the offense hitting the ball all over the park. It's a great way for the seniors to go out. You're remembered by your last act, and they went out winners tonight at Swanson Stadium. We aren't too concerned with where we end up in the conference, we're just happy to get in. Once you're in, anything can happen."

GAME ONE
Two innings after Lipscomb outfielder Michael Gigliotti hit a leadoff home run, FGCU got on the scoreboard and grabbed a 3-1 lead behind a trio of two-out RBI from Nick Rivera (Cape Coral, Fla./Bishop Verot HS), Richie Garcia (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) and Corey Fehribach (Douglasville, Ga./West Georgia CC/Alexander HS). Rivera got the Green and Blue going with a RBI double down the left-field line before Garcia and Fehribach made a Lipscomb fielding miscue hurt with back-to-back two-out RBI singles to left.

Lipscomb plated two runs and tied the game in the top of the fourth, but the Eagles reclaimed the lead on a safety squeeze from Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) followed by Rivera's second RBI double of the ballgame to make it 5-3. The double was Rivera's 71st of his career, which not only is the FGCU program record, but also stands as the active lead in the NCAA.

The Bisons cut into the lead on two-out RBI single from Von Watson in the top of the eighth, but Marc Coffers (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) hit the first pitch he saw from Lipscomb starter Brady Puckett in the bottom of the eighth over the fence in left field to run the right hander from the game. It was Coffers' second home run of the season with both coming in the last four games. Lipscomb reliever Alex Dorso entered the game and recorded only one out while allowing a single and issuing three walks to bring in another run. Fehribach then put the finishing touches on FGCU's offensive output with a two-RBI single into left field to extend the lead to 9-4.

The Bisons scored two more runs off FGCU reliever Peyton Gray (Columbus, Ind./Gulf Coast State/Columbus East HS) in the top of the ninth, but senior Sterling Koerner (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS) recorded the final three outs of the game and shut the door on his ASUN-best 11th save of the season.

GAME TWO
Gigliotti again gave Lipscomb an early advantage as he led off game two with a double and came around to score on a RBI groundout. However, FGCU responded with three runs in the home half of the frame to take the lead. With two outs and runners on second and third, Garcia ripped a two-strike fastball back up the middle to bring in a pair. A batter later, Fehribach slapped a double down the left-field line to score Garcia all the way from first and make it a 3-1 ballgame.

Much like game one, Lipscomb responded to tie the game, 3-3, in the top of the third. This time, though, the Bisons were able to take the lead with two more runs in the next frame. However, the FGCU bats came alive in the bottom of the fifth inning as the Eagles scored at least one run in each of its final four trips to the plate.

Trailing 5-3, Elijah Lovell (Lincoln, Neb./Kansas City Kansas CC/Lincoln Southwest HS) hit a two-RBI double off the right-field fence before later coming in to score on a Lipscomb fielding error and giving FGCU a 6-5 lead.

The Green and Blue extended its advantage as Rivera hit a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the sixth – his 204th career RBI, which moves him into a tie for seventh in ASUN Baseball history – but Lipscomb got the run right back and cut the lead to 7-6 on a solo home run from Hunter Hanks in the top of the seventh.

After scoring two runs in the seventh on RBI from Coffers and Jake Smith (Windermere, Fla./Windermere Prep), Lipscomb plated an unearned run in the top of the eighth to remain within striking distance. However, the Eagles blew things open by scoring five runs before an out was recorded in the bottom of the frame. Lovell and Garcia each drove in their third runs of the game before Fehribach – playing his final game at Swanson Stadium – hit a three-run home run to cap off the eight-inning explosion.

Offensively, FGCU registered 25 runs on 24 hits in Saturday's doubleheader. The Eagles have now recorded 10 or more hits in six straight games – extending this year's season-long streak and matching the one turned in a season ago.

Fehribach capped off the day with seven RBI in the two games and matched a career high with four driven in during the home finale. Rivera – also playing his final game of his illustrious career at Swanson Stadium – extended his season-long hitting streak to nine games and totaled four runs, three hits and three RBI Saturday.

On the mound, starting pitchers Josh Dye (8-3, 2.92) and Garrett Anderson (5-1, 3.73) earned the wins for the Eagles while Koerner earned a pair saves on the day. Along with Anderson, Koener also closed out his career at Swanson Stadium and has now saved an ASUN-best 12 games this season and program record 19 in his four-year career.

UP NEXT
FGCU heads to Coral Gables, Fla., for its third and final midweek game of the season against Miami. The Eagles won the previous two meetings with the Hurricanes and have claimed the season series for the first time in program history.

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 524-312-3 record (.625) 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.