FGCU-UMass Lowell box score| 2023 FGCU baseball stats | 2023 FGCU schedule
 
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The 2023 FGCU baseball team (7-1) earned its second straight home series sweep in come-from-behind fashion Sunday afternoon, rallying with a four-run eighth inning to stun UMass Lowell 7-5 at Swanson Stadium.
 
The Green & Blue's 7-1 start equals best in the 21-year history of the program. The Eagles have won all seven of their home games in their friendly confines in 2023, having swept a four-game season-opening set against Hofstra last weekend. Prior to this season, FGCU started the 2008 season 7-1.
 
Redshirt senior outfielder Brian Ellis (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) went 4-for-5 on Sunday with three runs scored – increasing his streak of reaching base to 77 games. The NCAA record is 101 games.
 
Senior first baseman Joe Kinker (Titusville, Fla./Venice HS) went 3-for-5 with an RBI as part of FGCU's 16-hit Sunday barrage. Junior outfielder Harrison Povey (Indian Rocks Beach, Fla./Largo HS) and junior infielder Edrick Felix (Orlando, Fla./Victory Charter HS/College of Central Florida) each went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
 
Senior designated hitter Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) was also 2-for-5 with two runs scored, and senior catcher/infielder Alejandro Rodriguez (Cidra, Puerto Rico/Montverde Academy/Eastern Florida State) was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
 
"Winning like this is a mark that we didn't have last season," said FGCU head baseball coach Dave Tollett. "We didn't have a come-from-behind win in 2022, and it is one of our goals to do that. It says a lot about our team. We are older and have some leadership. If we can get the bottom of the order going, we can be a really good team."
 
FGCU started the festivities Sunday with Kinker singling up the middle to score Ellis in the bottom of the first. But UMass Lowell (0-6) would tie it in the second via a Conor Kelly RBI single and take a 2-1 lead in the third on Brandon Fish's sacrifice fly.
 
The River Hawks piled two more runs on in the fourth on a Jake Fitzgibbons RBI double down the left-field line and a Jacob Humphrey RBI single to right.
 
FGCU cut into the deficit in the fifth, loading the bases for the second consecutive inning and then seeing Rodriguez absorb a pitch off the shoulder for one run and Felix singling home Figueredo to make it 5-3.
 
But the true fireworks came in the eighth inning, starting with a pinch-hitter for the second consecutive game. This time, it was senior pitcher/outfielder Stephen Wilmer (Sarasota, Fla./Riverview HS/Pasco-Hernando State/ECU) who did the honors by launching a solo homer to right. Ellis followed with a double to right, and Povey scored him with a double of his own to make it 5-5. Povey would promptly score on a wild pitch from UMass Lowell reliever Brendan Williams (0-1), and Rodriguez would add an insurance run with a single to right to bring home Figueredo from second base.
 
Graduate pitcher Max Rippl (Fort Myers, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy/Kent State) pitched 4 2/3 strong innings of relief to earn his first victory of 2023. Senior pitcher Nick Love (Fernandina Beach, Fla./Yulee HS/Central College of Florida/Jacksonville) worked the ninth to earn the save.
 
"Max put up four huge zeros, which was huge for us to battle back," Tollett said. "Hat's off to Love, who has thrown a lot this week, and pitches with a lot of heart."
 
FGCU remains at home for one more game before embarking on a 13-day road trip, taking on FIU at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Swanson Stadium. Home games in 2023 are broadcast on EagleVision, which is free to view on www.FGCUAthletics.com.
 
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 678-409-3 overall record (.622) 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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