FORT MYERS, FL – Senior Alex Brait (Viera, FL/Viera HS) accounted for both the tying and winning runs in FGCU baseball's (9-7) clash with Georgetown (4-12), which favored the Eagles 6-5 at the end of 10 innings of play. With Tuesday night's win at Swanson Stadium, FGCU is now 3-1 in midweek games this season.

"One of our goals this year was to be better in midweek games, and I'll take three-of-four," head coach Dave Tollett said. "These midweeks have been tough. Tonight, we were trying to save some guys that were taxed this weekend so we were just trying to get through the backend. Obviously, anytime we can pick up a walk-off win is a great situation for us."

In addition to his heroics in the final innings, Brait led the team throughout the night, going two-for-four from the batter's box. Along with his two key RBI late in the game, he also cranked out a double. Freshmen Kyle Machado (Punta Gorda, FL/Charlotte HS) and Kevin Conway (Port Charlotte, FL/Charlotte HS), as well as senior Marc Coffers (Naples, FL/Barron Collier HS), each finished the night with a pair of hits.

The first few innings of play saw the teams trade runs back-and-forth. FGCU was the first to score, doing so when Machado plated junior Brian Ellis (Oviedo, FL/Hagerty HS) with a double in the bottom of the first.

Georgetown mounted its response with a two-RBI homer that handed the visiting team a 2-1 edge in the third. Senior Richie Garcia (Davie, FL/West Broward HS) then sent the second home run of the night out of the park in the bottom of the frame, bringing in Conway and regaining the home team's lead.

After tossing three innings in his first career start, sophomore Levi Shuck (Cape Coral, FL/Canterbury HS) handed the mound over to junior Joey Mugavero (Estero, FL/FSW) at the start of the fourth inning. Shuck finished his night with a career-high four punchouts and was tagged with a pair of earned runs.

An RBI double from the Hoyas knotted things up at three-apiece in Mugavero's first frame, but not for long as senior Cameron Krzeminski (Coral Springs, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas HS) homered for the first time in his career during FGCU's half of the inning. Krzeminski's shot regained the Eagles' edge at 4-3.

Georgetown used a pair of runs in the fifth to move past the Eagles. Both were unearned as an error prolonged the inning and allowed the Hoyas to go up 5-4. From there, the Eagles threw senior Sebastian Gruszecki (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional HS) and junior Gus Carter (Melbourne, FL/FSW), who combined for 2.3 innings of scoreless relief. Gruszecki fanned one batter, while Carter struck out four as the score was maintained at Hoyas 5, Eagles 4.

Finally, Brait broke up the three-inning scoreless stretch in the bottom of the eighth, when his double scored Krzeminski and knotted things up at 5-apiece. The game was then forced into extras, as both sides went down in order in the ninth. Georgetown did so against senior Hunter McGarry (Bradenton, FL/State College of Florida-Manatee), who entered at the start of the frame, while the Eagles were retired by the Hoyas' second arm of the night.
 
Coffers kicked off the bottom of the tenth with a single and quickly worked his way into scoring position after the Hoyas' pitcher balked. Garcia then laid down a sacrifice bunt that put Coffers on third and set the stage for the late run. Though Machado, who had been intentionally walked, and Krzeminski, who was hit by a pitch, were also on base, it was Coffers' final run that ended the ballgame.

McGarry, who tossed the final two innings and struck out one batter, picked up the win. He now stands at 3-1 on the season, matching senior Mason Studstill (Titusville, FL/Eastern Florida State) for the team lead in victories.

The Eagles will remain at home for a three-game series against Marist March 13-15. First pitch against the Red Foxes will be at 6:30 p.m. on Friday night, with games following at 2 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. on Sunday.

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 608-365-3 overall record (.624) 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.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM--