FGCU Baseball Notes & Information
Game 8	Eastern Michigan (1-5) at FGCU (1-6)
Date // Time	Tuesday, Feb. 25 // 6:30 p.m.
Location	Fort Myers, Fla. // Swanson Stadium
Live Statistics	StatBroadcast
Watch	YouTube Live
Radio	Fox Sports - David Moulton 94.1 FM WFSX, 1240 AM, 103.3 FM, 105.9 FM // FoxSportsFM.com | TuneIn App
Promotion	Blue out
Twitter	@FGCUEagles // @FGCU_Baseball
Instagram	@FGCU_Baseball
Facebook	FGCU Baseball
Tickets	Tickets for Swanson Stadium

FORT MYERS, FL – The FGCU baseball team (1-6) will continue its home stay by hosting Eastern Michigan (1-5) in its second midweek contest of the season on Tuesday, Feb. 25. First pitch for the blue out game is slated for 6:30 p.m. at Swanson Stadium. The game will be streamed on YouTube Live and will also be broadcasted on Fox Sports Radio by David Moulton. Fans can tune into his show on mobile devices via the TuneIn app or online through www.FoxSportsFM.com.

The Eagles are coming off a series loss to a gritty Kent State team. After FGCU clinched the first matchup 2-0, marking the 600th win of head coach Dave Tollett's career, the Golden Flashes battled back and captured both games two and three to win the overall series. Ultimately, the Eagles' combined eight errors over the final two contests made the difference for Kent State, as the teams were fairly evenly matched in hits.
 
Friday Guy
Senior Mason Studstill (Titusville, FL/Eastern Florida State) has earned his spot as the team's Friday night pitcher for the second-consecutive season. He pitched a quality start during the team's 2-0 shutout over Kent State, tossing 6.2 innings, while scattering three hits and fanning six. His 14 strikeouts on the season are the third-most of any arm in the ASUN conference and he returns as the team's leader in punchouts after tallying 96 last year.  
 
7-of-7
While the Eagles have been trying multiple different lineups through the start of the season, five players are constant: junior Brian Ellis (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty HS), senior Alex Brait (Viera, FL/Viera HS), senior Richie Garcia (Davie, FL/West Broward HS), senior Marc Coffers (Naples, FL/Barron Collier HS) and sophomore Joe Kinker (Northport, FL/Venice HS). That group has started all seven games for the Green and Blue, combining for 25 of the team's 43 hits. The group has also scored half of the team's runs (8-of-16) and has accounted for all but five of the team's 13 RBI.
 
Breakthrough Season
The 2020 season could be big for Ellis, who is currently leading the team with a .433 on-base percentage. After a freshman season where he did not play and a sophomore campaign that was limited to 13 appearances, Ellis has earned his spot in the lineup through the start of the season. His .292 batting average leads the team and he has reached base safely in all seven of the Eagles' games. Primarily appearing in left field, he has also contributed nine putouts and a stolen base.  
 
Eagles vs. Eagles
FGCU enters Tuesday's game with a 5-0 all-time edge over Eastern Michigan. The Eagles have outscored their northern opponents 50-31 over those contests, which have all been played at Swanson Stadium. Including Eastern Michigan, FGCU owns a 12-9 advantage over opponents from the Mid-Atlantic Conference (Bowling Green: 1-1, Central Michigan: 4-6, Kent State: 1-2, Western Michigan: 6-0).
 
Scouting Eastern Michigan
The Eagles enter Tuesday's game after being swept by Pitt this past weekend. Eastern Michigan was outscored by the Panthers 16-8 over the course of the three-game series, which was played in Sanford, FL. The team has not won since its season-opening, 16-8 victory over Austin Peay on Feb. 15.

Last season, Eastern Michigan went 11-43-1 overall, which included a 6-21 mark in MAC play. Outside of their home stadium in Ypsilanti, the Eagles went 3-25.

Offensively, senior Jeff Timko currently leads the team with a .346 batting average. He has cranked out a team-high three doubles and has reached base safely in all but the team's final game against Pitt. Sophomore Taylor Hopkins leads the Eagles in both RBI (nine) and home runs (two).

Pitching-wise, only two of the 11 arms that have appeared for Eastern Michigan this season have not been charged with earned runs. Both freshman Tyler Helgesen and grad student Caleb Hester own 0.00 ERAs. All other pitchers have been tagged with at least two run, putting the staff's ERA at 7.90.

What to Watch
The 200 Hit Club: Only 14 players in program history have surpassed the 200 career hits mark and the Eagles could have as many as three hit it this season. Garcia is the closest, as he currently has 188 career hits. Both Brait (176) and Coffers (157) should reach the mark, as well.

Midweek Revenge: After falling in a tight game against FAU last Tuesday (Feb. 18), the Eagles will look to earn their first midweek win of the season. FGCU led the Owls in the middle of the game at the FAU Baseball Stadium, but ultimately couldn't hold on as the home team earned its final 6-4 win.

For complete coverage of FGCU baseball, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_Baseball and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU baseball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

COACH TOLLETT
FGCU coach Dave Tollett currently owns a 600-364-3 overall record (.622) and a 199-109 (.646) 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 five-time ASUN Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to five 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, 33 draft picks, three current major leaguers, 13 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.

E.A.G.L.E. CAMPAIGN
IT TAKES A TEAM to achieve our newest goal - a $10 million campaign to address student-athlete needs in continued academic success, life skills, mental health, nutrition, and strength and conditioning as well as departmental needs in facility expansion and improvement as well as mentoring and leadership training for coaches and staff. The name embodies our mission and the purpose of the E.A.G.L.E. Campaign - Eagle Athletics Generating Lifetime Excellence. Join Our Team and pledge your gift today to help the Eagles of tomorrow!
 
WE'VE GOT YOUR SEAT!
Single game tickets, group packages, and Spring Frequent Flyer Passes are on sale now. Single game tickets are good for all games occurring on a single day and are $7 for adults, $5 for youth (ages 3-15), and $5 for current or former US military service members.
 
Groups of 15 or more can enjoy a day at the ballpark with reserved block seating, group activities, and the choice of free FGCU gear or concessions. Packages start at just $7 per person. Call the ticket office at 239-590-7145 for more information or to book your group.
 
The Spring Frequent Flyer Pass allows multiple entries into Softball and Baseball during the 2020 regular season. Passes are available for 15, 30, and 60 entries for any regular season home game. They can be used in any combination until the pass is exhausted. Passes cost $60 for 15 entries, $105 for 30 entries, and $180 for 60 enties.
 
Single game tickets and Frequent Flyer Passes can be purchased in advance online at FGCUTickets.com or over the phone at 239-590-7145.

#FEEDFGCU
FGCU Athletics sponsors events in November and April 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 81 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 12-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just eight-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 36 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate in their sport. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.35 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2018 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for twenty-one consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall semester saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
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