DAYTONA BEACH, FL – The FGCU baseball team (4-8) was unable to get the series sweep over Bethune-Cookman (5-6), as the Wildcats earned a 9-1 victory on Sunday afternoon at Jackie Robinson Ballpark. Despite the loss, the Eagles still won the overall series as they took two-of-three on the road in Daytona Beach.

"We came out hoping to continue the win streak and they came out with much more energy," head coach Dave Tollett said. "They had more energy than us from the start and that's what Sundays are about. Sundays are about energy and hopefully our younger kids realize that. They came out and were better in all three phases of the game. Our bullpen was not good today and just weren't able to throw the ball where we needed to throw the ball."

The Wildcats got out early and never trailed, tagging FGCU's starter Joey Mugavero (Estero, FL/FSW) with his second loss of the season. The Eagles' lone run came when senior Marc Coffers (Naples, FL/Barron Collier HS) was pushed across on an RBI single from classmate Richie Garcia (Davie, FL/West Broward HS) in the eighth.

Bethune-Cookman put up a pair of runs over the first two innings as it jumped out over the visiting team. A bases-loaded groundout in the first plated run number one and a double in the second sent in the other. On that play, Matt Garcia tried to extend his hit into a triple but was thrown out by right fielder Joe Kinker (Northport, FL/Venice HS).

In the top of the fourth and fifth, the leadoff runner reached for the Eagles but was stranded at the end of the frame. Junior Brian Ellis (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty HS) and Garcia both singled to start the respective frames but the offense was unable to advance them further than first.

Over those same two innings, the Wildcats put up seven runs against four different arms. After tossing the first 4.0 frames, Mugavero was relieved by Levi Shuck (Cape Coral, FL/Canterbury HS) in the fifth. In addition to the sophomore, both his classmate Brandt Sundean (Lakeland, FL/Collegiate HS) and his brother Tyler Shuck (Cape Coral, FL/Canterbury HS) also appeared in that inning and the three of them were tagged with a combined six runs as the Wildcats earned a 9-0 lead.  

In the top of the seventh, the Eagles were able to load up the bases thanks to three-consecutive singles from Garcia, Kinker and freshman Kyle Machado (Punta Gorda, FL/Charlotte HS). Unfortunately, the rest of the lineup couldn't get anything going and all three runners were stranded.

The home half of the frame saw freshman Connor O'Hara (Davie, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas HS) take over the stripe for FGCU, marking his first collegiate appearance. The rookie struck out the first batter he faced and forced back-to-back ground outs in the team's first 1-2-3 inning of the afternoon.

After seven scoreless innings, Garcia's single plated Coffers, making it Wildcats 9, Eagles 1.

Sophomore Cody Woodring (Lakeland, FL/McKeel Academy of Technology) threw the final inning for the Green and Blue and recorded one strikeout as he retired the side. In their final at-bats of the day, the Eagles also went down in order, handing Bethune-Cookman the win and preventing the series sweep.

The team will return home to host No. 22 Pepperdine (10-1) for a midweek game on Tuesday, March 3. First pitch against the Waves is set for 6:30 p.m. at Swanson Stadium. The clash will be the first of a nine-game home swing for the Green and Blue.

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 603-365-3 overall record (.623) 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 entries.
 
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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