FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team kept #20 Stetson close throughout the series-opener Friday night, however, the Eagles fell 4-2 to the ASUN leaders. FGCU (31-17, 7-9 ASUN) mounted one final comeback in the ninth but were unable to bring across the tying run against the Hatters (38-11, 12-3).
 
In addition, FGCU and Stetson announced a change in the schedule. The Eagles and Hatters will now play a doubleheader tomorrow beginning at 2 p.m. due to expected rain on Sunday. Senior Day festivities will begin approximately 30 minutes prior to first pitch.
 
"I thought Mario (Leon) was superb," said head coach Dave Tollett. "He had to make some pitches in some tough spots. That first inning he had to give it his all to get out of it. This might have been one of his better performances in his career tonight. We had some chances tonight but the bats are starting to come back around. I saw guys battling tonight getting quality at-bats. Tomorrow we need to just come out and play."
 
Mario Leon (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) matched potential first-round pick Logan Gilbert in a perennial Friday night matchup. The Eagle right-hander limited the Hatters to just one run in a taxing first inning before bouncing back and keeping Stetson at bay until a two-run fifth. Alex Brait (Viera, Fla./Viera HS) continued his hot streak, hitting his fifth homer of the season to tie the game in the second before FGCU struck again in the fifth on a Richie Garcia (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) double. Trailing 3-2, a solo homer run for the visitors made it 4-2. FGCU put two on in the ninth with two outs, but the Eagles were unable to push across another run, falling 4-2.  
 
Stetson forced Leon to throw nearly 25 pitches in the first inning as the Hatters, who entered the day No. 11 in the RPI, threatened from the start. With two on and one out, Brooks Wilson took a 2-0 offering deep to right. Marc Coffers (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) went back to the wall, jumped, and had the ball hit off his glove, off the wall and back into play for a long single after the Stetson runners held on the play until the ball landed. Although a runner scored on the play, it would be the only run of the inning.

After Stetson loaded the bases, Leon got a strikeout and a lineout to end the threat.
 
Brait quickly evened up the scoreline in the second, leading off the inning with an opposite-field home run. The solo shot was Brait's fifth of the season.
 
Leon settled in, retiring 10-straight beginning with the final two outs of the first to send the game into the bottom of the fourth with a 1-1 score.
 
The Eagles put pressure on Stetson ace Gilbert, loading the bases in the fourth. Garcia reached on a one-out walk before Kohl Gilmore (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS/Indian River State) singled to left. With two outs, Eli Lovell (Lincoln, Neb./Lincoln Southwest HS/Kansas City Kansas Community College) was hit by a pitch to load the bases but all three were left on following a pop fly to end the inning.
 
The Hatters regained the lead in the fifth, scoring twice to take a 3-1 lead but FGCU immediately got a run back in the bottom half. Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) reached on a two-out walk, bringing Garcia to the plate. The sophomore took a 1-0 pitch deep to center where the centerfielder Jacob Koos jumped and had the ball in his glove before colliding with the wall. The ball popped out, allowing Morey to score and Garcia to reach second on a double.  
 
The Eagles were in a jam again in the seventh after Stetson put the first two runners on. Leon was removed with runners at first and second and nobody out, bringing Parker Hamilton (Jupiter, Fla./Jupiter HS) into the contest. Stetson elected to sacrifice both runners 90 feet before Hamilton worked around the next batter to load the bases. With only one out, Hamilton struck out the next two batters to strand three more Hatters.
 
Stetson struck again in the eighth on a solo home run to make it 4-2.
 
FGCU threatened once more in the ninth, putting two runners on with two outs. Morey put the ball in play and made solid contact, but the Hatters were able to secure the catch and the win.
 
Leon (5-5) suffered the loss, working 6.0 innings while striking out five. The redshirt-senior allowed two earned, three total, during that time. Hamilton then worked 2.0 innings, allowing one run on one hit. Peyton Gray (Columbus, Ind./Columbus East HS/Gulf Coast State College) worked the final inning, striking out all three batters he faced.
 
UP NEXT
FGCU will play a doubleheader tomorrow against Stetson. Senior Day festivities will be moved to tomorrow prior to game one at 2 p.m. The second game is currently slated for a 6 p.m. start.
 
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 564-333-3 record (.629) 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.