FORT MYERS, Fla. - After losing game one in the series against Kansas (3-2), the FGCU baseball team (4-2) bounced back and claimed a 6-5 victory in the second meeting between the sides. Though the Eagles were only able to collect two hits throughout the night, the team was able to capitalize on five Jayhawk miscues and ultimately came away with the win.

Both freshmen Jason Woodward (Titusville, Fla./Titusville HS) and Najer Victor (Philadelphia, Pa./East Ridge HS) starred down the stretch. Woodward (1-0) was awarded the first win of his career, while Victor collected his first career save. The freshmen duo allowed just two combined baserunners and racked up four punchouts.

"Tonight's game was really intense," head coach Dave Tollett said. "Obviously, I was a little surprised that we only had two hits throughout the night and were able to get the win. Kansas is a great team and fortunately for us, their errors kept us in it. I was also really impressed by our freshmen (pitchers). They came in and did their jobs. It was great to see them have the composure that they did."

Freshman Mason Miller (Odessa, Fla./Mitchell HS) was the first freshman to impress during the game, as he earned the start on the bump for the second-straight Saturday. The left-hander fired in a strike for his first pitch of the night and kept the momentum up from there, allowing just three Jayhawks to reach over the course of his first four innings of work.

While Miller was keeping Kansas' offense quiet, the Eagles got to work. Junior Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) drew a walk in the bottom of the first inning and was quickly advanced after sophomore Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla./Venice HS) was also issued a walk. Richie Garcia's (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) double plated both of the runs and eventually the senior came around after freshman Jacob Lojewski (West Palm Beach, Fla./American Heritage Delray) poked a ball through the right side. With the scoring, FGCU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead.

FGCU tacked on to its advantage during its next time at bat, as a sac fly from redshirt-sophomore Brian Ellis (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) pushed sophomore Alejandro Rodriguez (Cidra, Puerto Rico/Montverde Academy/Eastern Florida State) across home plate and put the Eagles up 4-0.

After four innings of scoreless pitching from Miller, the Jayhawks loaded up the bases in the top of the fifth. Junior Tyler Shuck (Cape Coral, Fla./Canterbury HS) was called on to relieve the freshman and recorded the first out of the inning with a punchout. Unwilling to give up its opportunity, Kansas bounced back with a RBI walk and a two-RBI single, cutting FGCU's lead down to 4-3.  

The visiting team went on to score in the next two innings, first tying up the score at 4-4 in the sixth and then taking a 5-4 advantage in the seventh. In addition to Shuck, who was replaced in the sixth after allowing a leadoff double, both sophomore Tyler Tipton (Tampa, Fla./Gaither HS/South Florida State) and redshirt-junior Jake Lister (Bradenton, Fla./Bradenton Christian School/FAMU) made appearances on the mound during that frame. Woodward came out of the bullpen in the seventh with the task of ending the inning and did so after allowing the sac fly that handed Kansas the lead.

With the visiting team ahead, FGCU began to mount its comeback in its half of the seventh. A trio of walks loaded up the bases, as Ellis, Figueredo and Kinker all reached. With two outs on the board, Garcia then drew the fourth walk of the frame to tie the game up at 4-4. A pitching change allowed the Jayhawks to minimize any further damage, stranding three Eagles on base.

Freshman Kyle Machado (Punta Gorda, Fla./Charlotte HS) then led off the following inning by reaching via the Jayhawks' fourth error of the night and was replaced by pinch runner Jalen Townsend (Orlando, Fla./Winter Park HS). The sophomore quickly shifted over to third base when FGCU was able to load up the bases for the second-consecutive inning. Though Townsend was thrown out at home on a fielder's choice, Kansas' fifth and final miscue allowed Rodriguez to score, boosting the Eagles to their final 6-5 margin.

With just one run separating FGCU from the visiting team, Victor was tasked with closing the game. The rookie fanned a pair of batters, but the combination of a single and a stolen base placed the tying run on second. Victor managed to force Kansas' Dylan Ditzenberger to fly out to Ellis in left field, ending the game.

The teams will complete the four-game series tomorrow at 1 p.m. with a doubleheader. Each game will be played to seven innings, with approximately 30-45 minutes between the two contests.

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 611-367-3 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!
 
#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 83 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 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 (No. 24, 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 (APR) in their sport and have had the highest percentage of teams so honored from these two groups over each of the past three years. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each 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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