FGCU-Hofstra box score | 2023 FGCU schedule
 
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The 2023 FGCU baseball team began the school's 21^st season in style Friday night, as junior right-hander Jason Woodward (Titusville, Fla./Titusville HS) pitched six dominant innings and the Eagles piled up 11 hits to defeat Hofstra 13-0 in seven innings at Swanson Stadium.
 
The victory improved the Green & Blue to 12-9 in openers, and was the first FGCU shutout in an opener since defeating St. John's 6-0 in 2013. In all, FGCU has recorded four season-opening shutouts (10-0 vs. Temple in 2010, 12-0 vs. Savannah College of Art & Design in 2003)
 
The Eagles dinged the Pride (0-1) for five extra-base hits, including towering home runs from both junior infielder Edrick Felix (Orlando, Fla./Victory Charter HS/College of Central Florida) and junior infielder/catcher Jacob Lojewski (West Palm Beach, Fla./Delray American Heritage HS).
 
But it was Woodward (1-0) that set the tone for FGCU all night. He only faced three batters over the minimum, struck out five, threw eight ground-ball outs and only allowed the Pride to hit four balls out of the infield.

"Jason has been getting better and better, and we have seen flashes of this, but (Friday) was really the best he's looked," said FGCU head baseball coach Dave Tollett. "He was able to throw fastball in, and his change-up is really,really good against left-handers. He just went out there and competed, and the bats really came alive."

With their Friday night ace dealing, FGCU got on the board in the second with two runs. Senior catcher Alejandro Rodriguez (Cidra, Puerto Rico/Montverde Academy/Eastern Florida State) sprinted home on a delayed double steal, and Felix scored on an RBI infield single from sophomore infielder Jake Mummau (Palm Harbor, Fla./Palm Harbor University HS/St. Petersburg College).
 
FGCU touched Hofstra starter Mark Faello (0-1) for two more runs in the third via a Rodriguez fielder's choice and Felix's double into the left-center field gap.
 
Faello departed after four innings, but Pride reliver Ryan Rue felt the brunt of the FGCU offense in the sixth. The Eagles sent 11 hitters to the plate in the nine-run outburst – which was highlighted by Felix's towering three-run home run to deep left-center and Lojewski's solo shot on the same trajectory.
 
The game was called due to the 10-run rule after the seventh inning.
 
Rodriguez and Felix each finished 2-for-4 with a combined seven RBIs. Senior DH Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State), the Preseason ASUN Player of the Year, and senior first baseman Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla., Venice HS) also went 2-for-4 – with Kinker adding a double to the mix.
 
FGCU and Hofstra tangle in a doubleheader starting Saturday at 11 a.m. at Swanson Stadium. The Eagles are expected to start junior left-hander Mason Miller (Odessa, Fla./Mitchell HS) in the seven-inning first game, and senior right-hander Tyler Tipton (Tampa, Fla./Gaither HS/South Florida State) in the nine-inning second game.
All games in this weekend's FGCU-Hofstra series will be broadcast on EagleVision, which is available free on the FGCUAthletics.com site. CLICK HERE to see the individual game schedule and links to specific broadcasts.
 
FGCU baseball tickets can be purchased online at www.FGCUTickets.com or at the Alico Arena box office. No pets or emotional support animals are allowed at Swanson Stadium. Only certified service animals are allowed.
 
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.
 
INDIVIDUAL TICKETS, MINI PLANS AVAILABLE  
Tickets for the 2023 FGCU baseball season are on sale now and can be purchased by going online to www.FGCUTickets.com or calling 866-FGCU-TIX. Group tickets can also be purchased for 10 or more people – making a memorable evening for families, businesses, or other organizations.  
 
COACH TOLLETT
FGCU coach Dave Tollett currently owns a 672-408-3 overall record (.620) and a 228-118 (.659) 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 63 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, two National Freshman All-Americans, 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 (https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/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 https://www.fgcu.edu/adminservices/foodpantry and utilize the hashtag #FeedFGCU to help raise awareness.  
 
ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 94 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 15-plus seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just 11-plus seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 47 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. In 2022, the men's golf team became the first program to earn an at-large berth to the NCAA Tournament. 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 four of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green & 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 26 consecutive semesters. The past six semesters (Fall 2019 – Spring 2022) saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher cumulative 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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