NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The FGCU baseball team dropped game one of what became a winner-take-all series against Lipscomb Thursday night. The Eagles (31-20, 7-12 ASUN) had multiple chances early to take a potentially commanding lead, but the Bisons (22-27, 8-11 ASUN) limited the damage as FGCU fell 14-2.
 
Earlier in the day, NJIT swept UNF in a doubleheader, ensuring the Highlanders a spot in the ASUN Tournament. FGCU must win the next two games to clinch the sixth and final spot. The Eagles faced a similar situation last year in the ASUN Tournament, winning four games in a 24-hour span to clinch the program's first NCAA Tournament berth.
 
"Any time you leave double-digit runners on it's not good," said head coach Dave Tollett. "We had our chances early and we made some good contact in those spots at times, they just went right to someone. We know what's at stake and we know what we need to do. We were in this spot last year in the tournament and tomorrow is a new day."
 
What resulted in a tough day for the Eagles started on a high note, loading the bases in the first and plating the game's first run. The Eagles were only able to get one however and ultimately trailed 11-2 after five while leaving 10 on base in that time and 16 total. Lipscomb went on to tally four more runs over the final frames.
 
Following a 45-minute delay prior to first pitch, the Eagles gave right-hander Mario Leon (Naples, Fla./Gulf Coast HS) an early advantage behind three-straight baserunners to lead off the game. Marc Coffers (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) got the Green and Blue going with a single up the middle before the sophomore moved to third on a double from Alex Brait (Viera, Fla./Viera HS). Richie Garcia (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) then dug in and fell behind 0-2 before coming back to draw a walk, loading the bases. The Eagles scored one on a double play and left two on the bases in the first.   
 
It was a lengthy first inning for FGCU defensively as well as the Bisons used a leadoff double, a wild pitch, and a sacrifice fly to tie the contest at 1-1. With two outs, Lipscomb extended the inning, ultimately scoring on an error to take a 2-1 lead.
 
The Eagles put two more runners on in the second with a Christian Proffitt (Cape Coral, Fla./Ida Baker HS) walk and another Coffers single, but both were left on the bases before two Lipscomb home runs, a two-run homer and a solo home run, made it 5-1 as the game moved to the third.
 
Another Garcia walk put the Green and Blue in position to cut into the lead. Kohl Gilmore (Fort Pierce, Fla./John Carroll HS/Indian River State) followed with a double to put a pair of runners in scoring position but a hard-hit liner right at the third baseman and a pop up put Lipscomb on the verge of getting out of the inning. Gage Morey (West Palm Beach, Fla./PB Central HS) then walked to load the bases but a ground ball ended the frame with the three left on.
 
Leon kept FGCU in it with a scoreless third and FGCU rewarded the redshirt-senior with a run in the fourth. Coffers collected his third hit in as many at-bats, hitting a triple to left center with one out. Two batters later, Garcia brought him in with a sacrifice fly to cut the deficit to 5-2.
 
Lipscomb, however, broke got the game open with a four-run fourth and a three-run fifth.
 
FGCU attempted a two-out rally in the seventh only for a groundball to strand a pair of runners on the basepaths.
 
The Bisons then scored twice more in the seventh and after a scoreless eighth, FGCU loaded the bases once more in the ninth but once again came away empty-handed.
 
Leon (5-6) was hit with the loss, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing four earned runs (nine total) in that time. Christian Townsend (Safety Harbor, Fla./Countryside HS) tossed the next 1.1 innings, conceding two earned (three total) while Bryan Wilcox (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) finished off the game, surrendering two runs on three hits over 3.0 innings.
 
UP NEXT
The Eagles face a must-win game tomorrow at 7 p.m. as the series continues in Nashville.
 
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 564-336-3 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 six-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.