CORAL GABLES, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team will have to wait to decide the season series with Miami after the Eagles dropped an 8-1 decision to the Hurricanes Wednesday night. The Eagles (25-10) surrendered four runs through the first two innings and were unable to overcome the early deficit to Miami (16-20).

"Tonight was one of those nights where we didn't win the freebie game," said head coach Dave Tollett. "When you give a team like Miami that many chances and that many bases, they'll make you pay. And when you get a chance to jump on a team early, you have to take advantage and we didn't do that. It's a short turnaround and we need to be ready for Upstate this weekend."

A first inning that could have favored either side went the way of the home team. FGCU stranded a leadoff double meanwhile the Hurricanes took advantage of a leadoff single and a hit by pitch. Starting pitcher Peyton Gray (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East HS/Gulf Coast State College) was removed in the second when Sebastian Gruszecki (Dudley, Mass./Shepherd Hill Regional HS) entered and posted clean innings in each of the next two frames. Miami extended its lead to 4-0 before FGCU struck in the third to make it 4-1. From there, Miami scored in the fifth and eighth for the 8-1 final.

Miami scored twice in each of the first two innings after FGCU threatened immediately. Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) doubled down the left field line to lead off the ballgame but was stranded on the bases prior to the Hurricanes scoring twice in the first on a groundout and an RBI single.

In the second, Miami doubled its lead thanks to an RBI double and a wild pitch before the Eagles scored in the third. Marc Coffers (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) led off the inning with a triple to left center and scored on a Christian Proffitt (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida Baker HS) RBI groundout.

The Hurricanes struck again in the fifth, but Parker Hamilton (Jupiter, Fla./Jupiter HS) would limit the damage, leaving the bases loaded to keep FGCU to within 5-1.

Miami, however, scored three more in the eighth for the 8-1 final.

Gray (2-2) tossed 1.1 innings and was responsible for all four runs. Gruszecki worked the next 3.1 innings, allowing one run on two hits. Hamilton was charged with two runs, one of them earned, over 2.1 innings while Bryan Wilcox (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) pitched 1.0 inning.
 
UP NEXT
FGCU travels to Spartanburg, South Carolina for a three-game series with USC Upstate. The Eagles and Spartans begin the series Friday at 6 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 558-326-3 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.