FORT MYERS, Fla. – The FGCU baseball team (20-12, 7-2 ASUN) split its neutral site doubleheader on Friday with Wright State (14-9, 13-3 Horizon). The Eagles first earned a 13-12 result at Jim Case Field before dropping a 3-10 loss in the second game. FGCU and Wright State will now prepare for a rubber match at 1 p.m. EST on Saturday, April 17.

"I am extremely happy with our effort in both games," head coach Dave Tollett said. "Our energy was better than it has been in two weeks. Wright State is a good ball club and they really know how to swing the bats. We just have to take care of the baseball a little bit better tomorrow and in the future. I'm really, really proud of how our guys competed today overall."

This weekend's matchups are between two teams that are in the top 60 of the RPI. With Friday's results, the Raiders are slotted 38th while the Eagles check in at No. 53.

FGCU 13, Wright State 12
The first game was a high-scoring, offensive battle as six combined runs were put up in the opening frame alone. A two-out, two-RBI double initially put Wright State up 2-0 before the Eagles responded with a two-RBI double, scored on a wild pitch and used a sac fly to take a 4-2 lead.

Senior Mason Studstill (Titusville, Fla./Rockledge HS/Miami/Eastern Florida State) held the Raiders scoreless in the second before an infield single plated the team's third run in the following inning. With two runners on, Wright State threatened to do further damage but the Eagles notched three-consecutive outs to preserve the lead at 4-3.

FGCU re-extended its margin to 6-3 in the bottom of the frame, which freshman Ian Farrow (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS) led off with his first career triple. He scored on senior Cameron Krzeminski's (Coral Springs, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) infield knock and Krzeminski was later driven in by sophomore Johnny Long (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS).

Studstill allowed just two runners to reach over his next two innings of work, while the Eagles continued to add to their advantage. After Wright State made its first pitching change in the bottom of the fifth, the team went on to tag up three runs thanks to senior Marc Coffers' (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) two-RBI double and Long's RBI single. At the end of the frame, FGCU led 9-3.

The Raiders broke their two-inning scoreless streak in the top of the sixth with an RBI single that pushed their fourth run of the game across. An FGCU miscue allowed Wright State to send in two additional unearned runs, ending the day for Studstill. The senior was lined up for the win when he handed the ball over to junior Tyler Shuck (Cape Coral, Fla./Canterbury HS), who retired the first batter he faced and froze the score at 9-6 in favor of the Eagles.

The proximity of the margin between the two sides did not last long, as junior Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) drove in three runs when he homered in the home team's half of the frame, boosting his team's lead to 12-6.

Shuck held the Raiders scoreless in the seventh but got into trouble in the eighth when three RBI singles cut FGCU's advantage down to 12-9. Once again, the Eagles were able to respond as Wilmer belted out a solo shot to add a run to the home team's lead.

After allowing the two leadoff batters to reach in the top of the ninth, Shuck was relieved by senior Hunter McGarry (Bradenton, Fla./Bradenton Christian School/State College of Florida-Manatee). The Raiders took advantage of the pitching change and, after loading the bases, drew three RBI walks to trim their deficit down to just one run. Though Wright State's go-ahead run was at second, the team was unable to bring him in as a Green & Blue twin kill ended the game and preserved the victory.

Studstill (5-2) was awarded the win and finished his outing tagged with four earned runs. Thanks to the efforts of Figueredo and Wilmer, FGCU turned in its sixth multi-home run game of the season. The outing was additionally highlighted by Krzeminski, who became the fifth player in program history to steal three-or-more bags in a single game and tied for the second-most in program history (three). 
 
Wright State 10, FGCU 3
FGCU was the first to score in the second game of the day, as Wilmer came in on a fielder's choice in the top of the second and put the team up 1-0.

The Raiders quickly responded in their half of the frame, using a two-RBI single to take a 2-1 lead. The scoring kicked off a three-inning spurt that saw Wright State continue to add runs to its lead as the team tagged up on a sac fly in the bottom of the third and then cranked out a RBI single in the fourth.

While Wright State took a 3-1 lead, FGCU struggled to respond. Over the course of a three inning stretch, just two Eagles were able to reach base but both were left stranded. After three Green & Blue zeros, sophomore Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla./Venice HS) stepped up to the plate and sent his 11th home run of the season out of the ballpark. The long ball collected Garcia and trimmed the Raiders' lead down to 4-3.

Junior starter Gus Carter (Melbourne, Fla./Eau Gallie HS/Florida Southwestern State), who held Wright State scoreless in the fifth, was relieved in the bottom of the sixth by freshman Jason Woodward (Titusville, Fla./Titusville HS). The rookie issued a pair of walks before handing things over to classmate Najer Victor (Philadelphia, Pa./East Ridge HS) who closed out the inning.

The Eagles continued to leave runners on base in the next two innings, as both redshirt-sophomore Brian Ellis (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) and Farrow were stranded in the seventh and eighth, respectively.

Victor held the Raiders scoreless through the seventh but the team's offense went on to put up six runs in the eighth. After a leadoff double and a subsequent error, Wright State went on to tag up three unearned runs with two outs on the board. The Eagles made a pitching change and brought junior Joey Mugavero (Estero, Fla./Estero HS/Florida Southwestern State) out from the bullpen. Mugavero allowed three of the inherited runners to score, pushing the score to 10-3, before taking a Raider down swinging to end the inning.

The Eagles went down in order in the top of the ninth, allowing Wright State to level out the series at 1-1. Carter was tagged with the loss, moving him to 0-2 on the season.
 
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.

ASUN Roundup
South Division Standings

School	ASUN	Overall
Stetson	5-1	19-10
FGCU	7-2	20-12
UNF	3-3	9-15
Jacksonville	0-9	7-22

North Division Standings

School	ASUN	Overall
Liberty	9-1	23-8
Kennesaw State	8-2	20-9
Bellarmine	5-8	10-20
Lipscomb	4-8	11-17
North Alabama	3-10	4-27

Recent Results
Friday, April 16
Kennesaw State 5, Bellarmine 2
FGCU 13, Wright State 12 (DH Game One)
Wright State 10, FGCU 3 (DH Game Two)
Liberty 13, North Alabama 5

Weekend Series
April 16-18
Kennesaw State at Bellarmine
FGCU vs Wright State (neutral site @ Jacksonville State)
Liberty at North Alabama
UNF at Stetson
Appalachian State at Lipscomb

COACH TOLLETT
FGCU coach Dave Tollett currently owns a 628-376-3 overall record (.625) and a 205-112 (.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 85 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 40 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Eight FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 21, 2020-21), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2021) 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 3.50 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 23 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall, 2020 Spring, and 2020 Fall 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.
 
--FGCUATHLETICS.COM—