FORT MYERS, Fla. – In one of the most exciting games of the season, the FGCU baseball team defeated North Dakota State, 9-8, Wednesday evening at Swanson Stadium. The Eagles are now 13-4 on the season while the Bison fall to 9-8.

"North Dakota State's a real good club," said head coach Dave Tollett. "A regional club from last year, they've played well so far this season so we knew it was going to be tough and it was a seesaw game that we found a way to pull out. I'm very proud of the team, we needed to win a game like this. We needed to come from behind in a tight situation so I'm really proud of what we did tonight."

Junior Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) delivered the go-ahead two-run double in the eighth as part of his 3-for-4, three-RBI night. Freshman Harrison Povey (Indian Rocks Beach, Fla./Largo HS) also went 3-for-4 with four RBI and a home run, his fourth of the season. Junior Luis Rodriguez (Guarenas, Venezuela/Miami Christian HS/Santa Fe College/Dyersburg State) had a painful night as he was hit by a pitch four times, setting a new FGCU single-game record.

The Bison began the game with a leadoff home run before adding another solo shot later in the first to take an early lead. They then added two more runs in the second thanks to a couple of Eagle errors.

The Eagles got one run back in the second as NDSU committed their own set of errors.

After a rough first two innings, sophomore Mason Miller (Odessa, Fla./Mitchell HS) settled down and threw three scoreless after that, allowing the Eagles to come back with a run in the third, two in the fourth, and three in the fifth.

Figueredo drove in a run with a single in the third before Povey tied the game in the fourth with a two-run homer. Povey then gave the Eagles the lead in the next inning with a two-run double before sophomore Trevor Kole (Parkland, Fla./Cardinal Gibbons HS) tacked on another run with a single.

North Dakota State made it two-run game in the seventh with one run before flipping the game around in the eighth with a three-run home run to take an 8-7 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth, sophomore Ian Farrow (Merritt Island, Fla./Merritt Island HS) singled while junior Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla./Venice HS) worked a walk after being down 0-2, setting the stage for Figueredo.

Senior Joey Mugavero (Estero, Fla./Estero HS/Florida Southwestern State) navigated through trouble in the ninth and induced a flyout to center with the bases loaded to end the game. A key play in the ninth came from junior Corey Clement (Pembroke Pines, Fla./West Broward HS), a defensive replacement, as he dove to keep a ground ball from going down the third-base line which would have tied the game.

The Eagles will return to action this weekend for the ASUN opening series against Stetson. First pitch from DeLand on Friday is set for 6:30 p.m.

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 647-388-3 overall record (.623) and a 211-115 (.647) 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 58 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 89 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 14+ seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 10 seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 43 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. 20, 2021-22), beach volleyball (No. 20, 2022) 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 25 consecutive semesters. The past five semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 2021) each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA in each. 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.