FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (13-5) continued to prove why it has one of the top offenses in the nation with an 11-3 victory over Rutgers (4-11) Saturday afternoon at Swanson Stadium.

"It started on the hill for us tonight," head coach Dave Tollett said. "Mason gave us another good start and I didn't even think he had his best stuff but he had the pitch. When we came out and immediately put up five (runs in the first inning), it just let everyone relax a little bit and focus on playing good baseball."

Junior Alex Brait (Viera, FL/Viera HS) and freshman Joe Kinker (Northport, FL/Venice HS) scored the first two runs of the game for the Green and Blue. Junior Anthony Gonnella (Riverview, FL/Riverview HS/State College of Florida-Manatee) rounded out the inning with his first home run as an Eagle, a three-run shot over the right field wall that brought in senior Jay Hayes (Altamonte Springs, FL/Lyman HS) and junior Kohl Gilmore (Fort Pierce, FL/John Carroll HS/Indian River), who had both reached on singles.

After claiming its initial lead, FGCU never looked back. Brait led the team offensively, finishing the day 4-of-5 with one run and two RBIs. Gonnella, Hayes, junior Marc Coffers (Naples, FL/Barron Collier HS), junior Richie Garcia (Davie, FL/West Broward HS) and senior Eric Gonzalez (Miami, FL/American HS/ASA College) combined for nine RBIs, five hits and six runs.

Four hurlers made appearances for the Eagles this afternoon. Junior Mason Studstill (2-0) (Titusville, FL/Rockledge HS/Eastern Florida State) took the ball first and picked up his second win of the season after striking out 10, walking three and allowing just one run on four hits across 5.2 innings. The effort marks Studstill's third appearance with double-digit strikeouts so far this season. Junior Trey Vickery (Port Orange, FL/Spruce Creek HS), who struck out the first batter he faced, pitched the next 1.1 frames and was not charged with any base runners.

Juniors Keegan Collett (Dallas, TX/Trinity Christian School/Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa) and Brenden Heiss (Algonquin, IL/Jacob HS/John A. Logan/Arkansas) combined for the final six outs of the game. Collett gave up one hit but was not charged with Rutgers' second run of the night. Heiss let up one run on one hit and ended the game with a strikeout.

Tonight's win marked the fifth-straight weekend that the Eagles have clinched a series so far this season. It is the first time since 2017 that FGCU has won its first five weekend matchups. That year, the Green and Blue started its season with six-straight series wins before falling to Jacksonville in the first weekend of ASUN play.

UP NEXT
The teams will return to Swanson Stadium at 11 a.m. tomorrow to cap off the series. 

WE'VE GOT YOUR SEAT
Experience FGCU Baseball and Softball this season. The following ticket opportunities are on sale now:
Group Sales
Bring your group of 15 or more to an FGCU Baseball or Softball game. All group tickets include your choice of concessions or an FGCU hat ($15 value), in-game group recognition and more. For more information on group outings, click HERE or call 239-590-7145.
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets are available for all remaining home games. Adult tickets are $7 each. Discounted tickets are available for current or former Military and Youth ages 3-15 for just $5 each. Baseball and Softball Frequent Flyer Cards allow multiple entries for more than 50 percent off the adult rate. Choose 34 baseball entries for $105 or 17 softball entries for $55. Purchase online HERE or call 239-590-7145.
 
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.
 
COACH TOLLETT
FGCU coach Dave Tollett currently owns a 578-342-3 record. He is the only head coach in the program's history and led the program to its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2017. 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 No. 9 in the country in 2017, and has coached 54 all-conference selections, 31 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 seven-time MLB All-Star.
 
5X CHAMPS
The 2017 season was a magical one for the Green and Blue that ended in the program's first Division I NCAA Championship tournament berth. The Eagles ended the year 43-20, which included a midweek sweep over No. 2 Florida, single wins over No. 1 Florida State, Miami, and a three-game sweep at 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 No. 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 Championship, 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 North Carolina ended their season. The tournament title added to FGCU's four regular season crowns.
 
#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.
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 74 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 11+ seasons at the Division-I level. Additionally, in just seven+ seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 34 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including both men's and women's soccer again in 2018. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best 6th-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the Spring, 2018 and had an ASUN Conference and State of Florida best five teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport.  The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours – being recognized as one of two runner-ups for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
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