FORT MYERS, Fla. – Three late runs from the visitors handed the #22 FGCU baseball team its first ASUN loss of the season and the team's second in 13 games. The Eagles (24-7, 2-1 ASUN) held a 3-1 advantage over NJIT (12-12, 2-4 ASUN) heading into the seventh, only for the Highlanders to plate runs in each of the final three innings for the 4-3 final.

"We always like to get a sweep but NJIT is so much better than they were in the past," said head coach Dave Tollett. "They're a decent baseball club and we told the team if we didn't put them away, we were in for a dogfight and that's what we got. Justin (Gill) was really good today. This was his best performance by far this year and he pitched well enough for a win."

Justin Gill (Winter Haven, Fla./Lake Region HS/Polk State) posted a strong 6.0 inning performance in his second start of the season but was left with a no-decision when the game came to an end. FGCU and NJIT traded runs in the middle innings before Eric Gonzalez (Miami, Fla./American Senior HS/ASA College) hit his fifth home run of the season to give the Green and Blue a 3-1 lead. NJIT then scored single runs in the seventh, eighth, and ninth against the FGCU bullpen to prevent the sweep.

Both sides struggled with runners on base through the first three innings. Gill stranded a pair in the first three while FGCU left four on. The junior southpaw then worked a flawless fourth, when FGCU broke the scoreless game. Jay Hayes (Altamonte Springs, Fla./Lyman HS) got the inning started with a four-pitch walk and moved to second following Alex Brait's (Viera, Fla./Viera HS) single.

Eli Lovell (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest HS/Kansas City Kansas Community College) then dug in and drove a 2-2 pitch to deep center where the centerfielder ranged back to make the catch before bumping into the wall. Hayes tagged and rounded third, scoring without a play.

The Highlanders answered in the fifth only for the Green and Blue to strike again in the sixth.

Brait led off the inning with a single and two batters later, Gonzalez worked the count full. On the 3-2 offering, the junior sent a high fly ball to the left of the scoreboard in right center. The ball continued to carry over the wall to put FGCU in front 3-1.

Back-to-back doubles in the seventh however put NJIT right back in the game before the visitors tied the game in the eighth on two more base hits. Then in the ninth, NJIT capitalized on an error that turned a single into a runner at third with one out, plating the go-ahead run on a single.

FGCU had a chance to get back in front in its half of the eighth, putting two runners on with only one out in the inning but a strikeout and a fly out ended the threat.

Gill struck out five in his six innings of work, allowing one run on four hits with no walks issued. Evan Lumbert (Orlando, Fla./Boone HS/South Florida State) worked 0.1 of an inning, allowing one run with one strikeout. Kenton Hering (Melbourne, Fla./Viera HS/Eastern Florida State College) was hit with the loss (4-2). The redshirt-senior conceded two runs on seven hits with a strikeout. Peyton Gray (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East HS/Gulf Coast State College) recorded the final two outs of the ninth.

UP NEXT
FGCU remains at home to face FAU Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.

FOLLOW ALONG
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DAVE TOLLETT
In his 16th season, FGCU head coach Dave Tollett has compiled a 556-323-3 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.