NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The FGCU baseball season has reached its final weekend and the Eagles (31-19, 7-11 ASUN) are in The Music City for perhaps the biggest series of the year. FGCU faces Lipscomb (21-17, 7-11 ASUN), with the winner of the series securing a spot in next week's ASUN Championships and the other needing assistance to clinch a spot.

The Eagles and Bisons begin the series Thursday at 7 p.m. The matchups continue Friday with another 7 p.m. start before concluding Saturday at 2 p.m. 

All games will be broadcast on the new ESPN platform. Fans can sign up on ESPN.com to access content on the new platform. Trial memberships are still available prior to the $4.99 monthly membership beginning. For more information on the ASUN and FGCU utilizing ESPN , please click HERE.
 
For fans wishing not to use ESPN , live stats will be available.
 
SERIES HISTORY
FGCU holds a 21-16 edge over Lipscomb all-time thanks to a seven-game win streak. The Eagles' last loss came in 2016 and since then, the Green and Blue have outscored the Bisons 64-31.
 
The Eagles are 7-8 all-time in Nashville.
 
PITCHING MATCHUPS
Thursday: RHP Mario Leon (5-5, 2.73 ERA) vs. Josh Colon (2-3, 2.78 ERA)
Friday: LHP Josh Dye (7-4, 2.55 ERA) vs. Kyle Kemp (1-2, 3.40 ERA)
Saturday: TBA vs. TBA
 
THE ROAD AHEAD
FGCU's path to a berth in the ASUN Championships depends solely on the outcome of the upcoming series against Lipscomb. With four teams already in the tournament, four more teams are battling it out for the final two spots. FGCU, NJIT, and Lipscomb all enter the final weekend with matching 7-11 records in ASUN play. Meanwhile, USC Upstate is not out of the race yet, two games back at 5-13.
 
The matchups for the final weekend include:
FGCU at Lipscomb
UNF at NJIT
USC Upstate at Stetson
Kennesaw State at Jacksonville
 
The Eagles do hold tiebreakers over USC Upstate and NJIT with their series wins over the respective ballclubs earlier in the season.

2018 ASUN STANDINGS

	CONFERENCE			OVERALL
Team	Record	Win %	GB	Record	Win %
#20 Stetson*^	14-3	.824	-	40-11	.784
Jacksonville*	11-6	.647	3	34-17	.667
Kennesaw State*	11-7	.611	3.5	25-25	.500
UNF*	9-9	.500	5.5	24-24	.500
FGCU	7-11	.389	7.5	31-19	.620
NJIT	7-11	.389	7.5	20-22	.476
Lipscomb	7-11	.389	7.5	21-27	.438
USC Upstate	5-13	.278	9.5	23-27-1	.461

* -Clinched spot in ASUN Championships
^- Clinched ASUN Regular Season title and No. 1 seed in ASUN Championships
 
CLINCHING SCENARIOS
The Eagles clinch a spot in the ASUN Tournament with a series win or a win over Lipscomb and at least two UNF wins over NJIT. Full clinching scenarios for all teams are listed below:
 
FGCU: in with series win at Lipscomb OR in with one win AND UNF sweep or UNF 2-1 series win
 
Lipscomb: in with series win vs. FGCU OR in with one win AND UNF sweep or UNF 2-1 series win
 
NJIT: in with 2-1 or 3-0 series win vs. North Florida OR in with one win AND FGCU/LIP 3-0 series result AND Stetson wins 1 game
 
USC Upstate: in with 3-0 sweep vs. Stetson AND UNF 3-0 sweep vs. NJIT AND FGCU/LIP 3-0 series result
 
SCOUTING THE BISONS
Lipscomb has lost four of its last seven and 11 of its last 17 entering the final weekend. Jeffrey Crisan leads the Bisons, hitting .291 with four doubles and four home runs. Zeke Dodson meanwhile is batting .289 with nine doubles and four home runs for a team-high 32 RBI.
 
Josh Colon is expected to start Thursday night's opener. Colon is 2-3 with a 2.78 ERA. Colon has struck out 32 batters over 45.1 innings while walking 20. Kyle Kemp will get the ball Friday, posting a 1-2 record and a 3.40 ERA to this point.
 
LEADING THE CHARGE
A Freshman All-American last season, Richie Garcia (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) has headlined the potent offense in 2018. The Davie-native is second on FGCU with a .333 average and an ASUN-best 48 RBI. Garcia has also tallied 16 doubles.
 
Since the start of conference play, Alex Brait (Viera, Fla./Viera HS) is second on the team with a  .352 average, one double, two home runs, and 10 driven in. Now in 2018, Brait leads the team and the ASUN with a .343 average, along with four doubles, two triples, and five home runs to go along with his 26 RBI.
 
A recent emergence, Elijah Eusebio (Miami, Fla./Coral Gables Senior HS) has hit .348 since April 25. The sophomore has posted three multi-hit games in that stretch and has risen his season average to .296.
 
On the mound, Kenton Hering (Melbourne, Fla./Viera HS/Eastern Florida State College) has six wins and eight saves to lead the bullpen.
 
LOOK AT THE BOOKS
FGCU Career Records
Runs Scored

Rank	Name	Runs	Years
1.	Josh Upchurch	237	2006-09
2.	Mikel Alvarez	202	2008-11
3.	Nick Rivera	179	2013-17
4.	Stephen Wickens	178	2008-11
5.	Zach Maxfield	158	2009-11
6.	Tim Roberson	156	2008-11
7.	Jake Noll	151	2013-16
8.	Gage Morey	147	2014-Present
9.	Tyler Selesky	137	2013-16
10.	Chris Perry	134	2003-06

 
Hits

Rank	Name	Hit	Years
1.	Mikel Alvarez	316	2008-11
2.	Josh Upchurch	311	2006-09
3.	Nick Rivera	284	2013-17
4.	Jake Noll	267	2013-16
5.	Stephen Wickens	259	2008-11
6.	Tim Roberson	247	2008-11
7.	Zach Maxfield	241	2009-11
8.	Gage Morey	224	2014-Present
9.	Tyler Selesky	210	2013-16
10.	Brandon Bednar	206	2011-13
	Matt Reardon	206	2015-17

 
Saves

Rank	Name	Saves	Years
1.	Sterling Koerner	19	2014-17
2.	Kenton Hering	15	2016-Present
3.	JJ Crumbley	14	2005-08
4.	Brady Anderson	11	2012-16
5.	Garrett Anderson	9	2014-17
	Harrison Cooney	9	2011-13
	Jack Wagoner	9	2010-11
8.	Derek Shaw	6	2007-09
	Casey Coleman	6	2006-08
10.	Zach Tillery	5	2012-14
	Jason Forjet	5	2009-12
	Jacob Barnes	5	2009-11
	Chris Sale	5	2008-10
	Pete Woodworth	5	2007-10

 
Season Records
Stolen Bases

Rank	Name	Stolen Bases	Year
1.	Jake Noll	25	2014
2.	Josh Upchurch	20	2008
	Marc Coffers	20	2018
4.	Stephen Wickens	18	2010
5.	Josh Upchurch	15	2007
	Chris Brown	15	2003
	Jake Noll	15	2015
	Josh Upchurch	15	2006
9.	Gage Morey	14	2014
10.	Chris Brown	12	2004
	Pat Stubbe	12	2005

 
Saves

Rank	Name	Saves	Year
1.	Sterling Koerner	12	2017
2.	Jack Wagoner	9	2010
3.	Kenton Hering	8	2018
4.	Kenton Hering	7	2017
	Brady Anderson	7	2014
6.	Derek Shaw	6	2009
	Casey Coleman	6	2006
8.	Zach Tillery	5	2014
	JJ Crumbley	5	2008
	Harrison Cooney	5	2013

 
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).
 
Adding in his eight saves this season, Hering now sits second all-time in FGCU history with 15 saves, striking out 10.62 batters per nine 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 564-332-3 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.