FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (14-7, 1-1 ASUN) rallied to a 5-2 victory against UNF (15-10, 1-1 ASUN) Saturday afternoon at Harmon Stadium after dropping the first game of the ASUN Conference-opening series Friday night.

"That was a good, solid game. We got a great start from (Mason) Studstill and a great relief job by (Hunter) McGarry," head coach Dave Tollett said. "On offense, we put together a complete game. We were able to get leadoff guys on base and play solid baseball all the way around. I was glad to see Jalen Townsend come off the bench and get a hit and it was nice to see what (Marc) Coffers could do back in the leadoff spot."

The Eagles were the first to get on the board when juniors Kohl Gilmore (Fort Pierce, FL/John Carroll HS/Indian River) and Richie Garcia (Davie, FL/West Broward HS) cranked out back-to-back RBI singles that plated junior Marc Coffers (Naples, FL/Barron Collier HS) and freshman Joe Kinker (Northport, FL/Venice HS). The runs put the Green and Blue up 2-0 in the third.

Junior Mason Studstill (Titusville, FL/Rockledge HS/Eastern Florida State) started on the hill for FGCU. After walking one and giving up his first hit of the game in the fifth inning, he was relieved by junior Hunter McGarry (Bradenton, FL/Bradenton Christian School/State College of Florida). Studstill finished the day with seven strikeouts, five walks and a single hit after facing 22 batters. McGarry inherited two of Studstill's runners when he entered the game, but recorded the final two outs to end the frame.

The Eagles tacked on some insurance runs to their lead with a three-spot in the seventh inning. Garcia brought in classmate Alex Brait (Viera, FL/Viera HS) with a sacrifice fly to start the scoring. Senior Eric Gonzalez (Miami, FL/American HS/ASA College) added an RBI of his own with a single that scored senior Jay Hayes (Altamonte Springs, FL/Lyman HS). Freshman Jalen Townsend (Oviedo, FL/Winter Park HS) rounded out the inning when he plated Kinker after sneaking a ball up the middle.

UNF broke into the run column with back-to-back RBIs in the bottom of the seventh. The scoring trimmed FGCU's lead down to 5-2, which the Eagles held through the final out.

McGarry picked up his third save of the season after his 3.2 innings of work. He finished the day with three strikeouts and gave up just two runs on three hits. Studstill (3-0) was awarded the win and remains perfect on the season in that category.

Six different Eagles recorded hits in today's game and Garcia led the scoring effort with two RBIs. With today's Green and Blue win, the series is now knotted up 1-1. FGCU also snapped a nine-game regular season losing streak to the Ospreys that dated back to April 29, 2016.

UP NEXT
The teams will cap off their conference opener at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon at Harmon Stadium. The Eagles - who have still yet to drop a series this season - will be attempting to claim their first series triumph over UNF since 2015.

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 579-344-3 overall record (.627) and a 184-102 (.643) record in the ASUN. 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 75 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.
 
-- FGCUATHLETICS.COM --