GAME 28: FGCU at USF
Time / Date	6:30 p.m. / Tuesday, April 2
Location	Tampa, Fla.
Stadium	USF Baseball Stadium
Live Stats	Sidearm
Video	YouTube Live
FGCU Starter	LHP Trey Vickery (3-0, 3.12 ERA)
USF Starter	TBD

FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (19-8, 1-2 ASUN) will hit the road to take on USF (12-14, 1-5 American) at the Bulls' home stadium in Tampa at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 2. The game will be streamed on YouTube Live.

Tuesday's matchup will be the first in a prolonged home-and-home series between the Eagles and the Bulls. USF will travel to Swanson Stadium on Wednesday, April 24 for a 6:30 p.m. game against the Green and Blue.

A LOOK AT FGCU
•     The Eagles won all six of their non-conference weekend matchups but dropped their conference opener to UNF.
•     As a team, FGCU is leading the nation in sac flies (22). Junior Kohl Gilmore (Fort Pierce, FL/John Carroll HS/Indian River) leads the charge with five on the season, good for fifth nationally and first in the conference.
•     The team batting average (.294), on-base percentage (.406) and slugging percentage (.432) sit at the top of the ASUN.
•     The Green and Blue also lead the league in runs (215) and hits (275).
•     Freshman Joe Kinker (Northport, FL/Venice HS) is first in the conference in batting average (.400) and on-base percentage (.537).
•     Senior Jay Hayes (Altamonte Springs, FL/Lyman HS) leads the team with 31 RBIs, good for first in the ASUN. His six home runs are the second-most in the conference, behind Jacksonville's Angel Camacho (7).
•     Junior Mason Studstill (Titusville, FL/Rockledge HS/Eastern Florida State) is third in the nation in fewest hits allowed per nine innings (3.86). He has pitched at least two more innings than Omaha's Spencer Koelewyn and East Carolina's Jake Kuchmaner who are tied for first (3.38).
•     His 56 strikeouts and average of 12.00 per nine innings both lead the ASUN.

LAST TIME OUT
•     FGCU picked up its second weekend series sweep of the season with a three-game win over Towson at Swanson Stadium this past weekend.
•     Studstill pitched a quality start for the Eagles in Friday night's 6-3 win over the Tigers. He threw a career-high eight innings, struck out seven and allowed one run on just four hits. Junior Richie Garcia's (Davie, FL/West Broward HS) solo shot in the fifth inning spurred FGCU's final lead.
•     On Saturday, the Green and Blue claimed a 5-2 victory over Towson. Juniors Alex Brait (Viera, FL/Viera HS) and Gilmore led the offense with two RBIs each.
•     Junior Elijah Eusebio (Miami, FL/Coral Gables HS) and Hayes became the first FGCU duo in the D-I era (since 2008) to each hit a grand slam in the same game in Sunday's 20-3 triumph against the Tigers.
•     Sunday's win marked the second time this season that the Eagles have swept an opponent in a weekend series. The first time was over LIU Brooklyn Feb. 22-24 at Swanson Stadium.

SERIES HISTORY VS. USF
•     Tuesday's game will be the 17th meeting in the series between the Eagles and the Bulls, which FGCU currently leads 11-5.
•     The teams have a split record at Swanson Stadium (4-4), but the Green and Blue hold a 7-1 advantage at USF Baseball Stadium.
•     The last time the programs met was a 10-3 victory for the Bulls at their place. Prior to that, FGCU had won three of the meetings in a row.

SCOUTING THE BULLS
•     The Bulls enter Tuesday's game with a six-game losing streak and were most recently swept by No. 14 East Carolina this weekend.
•     USF has traveled to three ASUN schools for midweek games: Stetson (March 27), UNF (March 19) and Jacksonville (March 12). The Bulls fell to the Hatters 10-9, dropped a 7-2 contest to the Ospreys and lost 8-7 to the Dolphins.
•     Overall, USF is 2-3 in midweek games. The Bulls' midweek games have been highlighted by a 6-1 win against the No. 5 Florida Gators back in February.
•     Senior Joe Genord leads the team in batting average (.344), RBIs (22), total bases (60) and is the only player to have started all 26 games. The infielder has also cranked out a team-high eight doubles and seven home runs.
•     As a team, the Bulls are batting .254 and have scored 134 runs. The Eagles, in comparison, are batting .294 and have scored 215 runs.

2019 SCHEDULE
•     The Eagles have begun their 55-game campaign with a bang, opening the year playing each of their first 11 games in the friendly confines of Swanson Stadium.
•     The Green and Blue will play a total of nine times against programs from Power 5 universities (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC).
•     FGCU is billed to play 36 home games and 19 contests on the road. Additional notable non-conference home games include dates with Rutgers (March 15-17), FAU (March 19), FIU (March 26) and Miami (April 10).
•     The first ASUN matchup was a series at UNF March 22-24, which the Eagles dropped 2-1.
•     FGCU will compete 16 times against programs who have played in the NCAA Championship tournament at least once over the last two years. The mark includes a Florida squad that won the national championship two years ago and advanced to the 2018 College World Series. FGCU will also grace a Stetson program (May 3-5) that hosted an NCAA Regional last year and advanced to a Super Regional.
•     The 2019 ASUN Conference Championship will be held May 22-25 in Deland, Florida, and will be hosted by Stetson.

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.con/FGCUBaseball. You can also find FGCU athletics on YouTube by visiting YouTube.com/FGCUEagles.

COACH TOLLETT
FGCU coach Dave Tollett currently owns a 584-345-3 overall record (.628) and a 184-103 (.641) 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 --