FORT MYERS, Fla. – A career-night for Evan Lumbert led the charge as the FGCU baseball team came out on the winning end of a classic pitcher's duel Wednesday night. The Eagles (19-5) were held hitless through 4.2 innings against Miami (12-12) but thanks to timely defense, a dominant performance from Lumbert, and a clutch single in the eighth FGCU emerged 1-0 victors.

The win also marks the Green and Blue's third win over Miami in four tries.

"Tonight was a great night, said head coach Dave Tollett. "The community was amazing tonight and I can't thank them enough for their support. This was by far Evan's best game; he was a monster. We were able to throw the curveball for strikes which got them off balance, and we got the fastball in on breaking ball counts. This goes down as one of the best games I've seen."

Both offenses were stifled through the first five innings as the two teams combined for two hits and just one additional baserunner during that time. Lumbert (Orlando, Fla./Boone HS/South Florida State) was masterful, striking out eight batters through four innings and 12 total over eight. Scoreless through seven, Eli Lovell (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest HS/Kansas City Kansas Community College) was called upon off the bench to pinch hit and the senior delivered with an RBI single for the lone run of the game. Kenton Hering (Melbourne, Fla./Viera HS/Eastern Florida State College) entered and after a double play ball neutralized a threat, the senior forced a fly ball for his fourth save of the season.

Lumbert, who threw 39 pitches over 3.0 innings in a relief appearance against UMBC, tossed just over 100 pitches in his win to improve to 4-0 on the season while improving his ERA to 2.21.

The duel between Lumbert and Miami's Daniel Federman began immediately with Lumbert striking out two batters to wrap up the first following a groundout. Federman then returned the favor with a quick first himself.

FGCU's right-hander allowed the first baserunner of the game on a hit by pitch but again struck out a pair before a ground ball ended the frame. Miami also tallied the game's first hit, a single down the line in right only for Marc Coffers (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) to throw out Willy Escala trying to extend his hit into a double.

The Green and Blue recorded their first hit with two outs in the fifth, courtesy of an Eric Gonzalez (Miami, Fla./American Senior HS/ASA College) single to left that also extended his hitting streak to 12 games, but no further damage occurred.

Miami's biggest threat came in the sixth, putting runners at second and third with one out following a sacrifice bunt. Lumbert, however, got out of the jam with his ninth strikeout of the evening and a groundout to Christian Proffitt (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida Baker HS).

After Lumbert retired three more via the strikeout over the next two innings, FGCU broke the scoreless deadlock in the eighth. Alex Brait (Viera, Fla./Viera HS) began the rally with a one-out single to center and advanced to second on a failed pickoff throw. With two outs, Lovell came off the bench and found a hole on the right side of the infield bringing around Brait.

Leading 1-0, Hering allowed the first two runners to reach only to induce a double play ball the next batter. With the tying run 90 feet away, Hering forced a fly ball to Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) in center for the final out.

The two sides combined for seven hits and Miami recorded the only error in the ballgame.

UP NEXT
FGCU heads out of state for the first time this season when the Eagles begin a three-game series with Jackson State Friday at 7 p.m.
 
 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 552-321-3 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.