MIAMI, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (14-5) looks to bounce back from its first series loss of the season when it travels to Miami to face FIU (10-11) Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. The game will be streamed through C-USA and live stats will also be available.
 
SERIES HISTORY
FGCU holds a slim 8-7 lead in the all-time series though the Eagles have lost five of the last seven meetings and six of the last nine. FGCU's last wins against FIU came in 2013 before the in-state series renewed last season with the Panthers claiming both matchups.
 
PITCHING MATCHUP
Neither team has announced a starter.
 
SCOUTING THE PANTHERS
Having lost four of the last five, FIU enters the midweek 10-11. Derek Cartaya is hitting .390 this season with three doubles and four RBI. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Hampton Jr. leads the team with 20 RBI while hitting .338. The Panthers are hitting .300 as a team with three batters with six or more home runs on the season.

FIU carries a 4.68 team ERA into the contest Tuesday. Christian Santana has started two games and is 1-1 with a 2.63 ERA. Everett Hurst started the last midweek and is currently 0-1 with a 3.65 ERA.
 
IN THE CONFERENCE
Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) leads the team and sits third in the ASUN with a .375 average, helping the Eagles to an ASUN-best .321 average and 155 runs scored. Kohl Gilmore (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS/Indian River State) heads the ASUN with seven home runs and second in RBI with 23, behind only Richie Garcia (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) with 24.
 
CHAMPS 5X
2017 was a magical season for the Green and Blue that ended in the program's first Division I NCAA Tournament berth. The Eagles ended the year 43-20, which included a midweek sweep over #2 Florida, single wins over #1 Florida State, Miami, and a three-game sweep at RV UNC Wilmington. The wins over Miami, FSU, and UF marked the first time FGCU defeated all three programs in the same season.
 
Reaching as high as #9 in the polls, the highest of any program at FGCU, the Eagles struggled in April but bounced back to finish third in the ASUN. During the ASUN Tournament, FGCU won four games in a span of 29 hours for their first tournament crown.
 
The Green and Blue earned the No. 2 seed in the Chapel Hill Regional, defeating Michigan 10-6 before losses to Davidson and UNC ended their season.
The tournament title adds to FGCU's four regular season titles.
 
KENTON, WITH A K
Redshirt-senior Kenton Hering's second season wearing Green and Blue put him among elite company with other arms that have come through Fort Myers. With 77 strikeouts in 59.2 innings IN 2017, Hering brought his K/9 inning total to 10.61, good for third all-time at FGCU behind current Minnesota Twins product Brandon Bixler (10.91; FGCU  2011-13) and six-time MLB All-Star Chris Sale (11.53; 2008-10).
 
Hering's seven saves last season also put him seventh all-time in FGCU history while his opponent's batting average of .222 is good for fifth.
 
LAST TIME OUT
For the first time this season the Eagles suffered a series loss, losing two-of-three to the Scarlet Knights. After falling in the first two games, FGCU overturned an 8-3 deficit Sunday and claimed a 9-8 victory in the finale. Jay Hayes (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) drove in three runs to help lead the comeback efforts. Kenton Hering (Melbourne, Fla./Viera HS/Eastern Florida State College) got the win, striking out two over the final 2.0 innings.
 
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 16th season, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 547-321-3 record (.626) as the only head coach in the program's history and is coming off the program's first trip to the NCAA Tournament. He is a four-time ASUN Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to four ASUN Regular Season Championships and one ASUN Tournament Championship. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions, including as high as #9 in the country in 2017, and has coached 49 All-Conference selections, 29 draft picks, three current major leaguers, 15 current minor leaguers, four ASUN Pitchers of the Year, four All-Americans, three 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.