Box Score FGCU-Florida A&M box score | 2023 FGCU baseball stats | 2023 FGCU schedule
 
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The No. 24 FGCU baseball team (12-3) dropped only its third game of the season Friday night, losing 6-4 to Florida A&M at Moore-Kittles Field.
 
FGCU's four runs represents its lowest scoring output of the season, while the victory – only the Rattlers' fourth in 16 games against the Eagles – improved Florida A&M to 6-9.
 
Senior infielder Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two runs scored. Senior catcher/infielder Alejandro Rodriguez (Cidra, Puerto Rico/Montverde Academy/Eastern Florida State) was 2-for-3 with two walks, an RBI and a run scored.
 
Redshirt senior outfielder Brian Ellis (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) drew a full-count walk in the eighth inning to extend his streak of reaching base to a school-record 84 games – 17 games shy of the 101-game NCAA record.
 
Although the Eagles – who entered Friday fourth in the nation in the NCAA Baseball RPI rankings – managed just eight hits Friday night, they drew seven walks, had two hitters hit by pitches and left 15 runners on base.
 
"(Florida A&M starter Hunter Viets) was a pretty good starter, and he kept us at bay for a while," said FGCU head baseball coach Dave Tollett. "But our 6-through-9 hitters in the lineup went 1-for-16, and it is tough to win when you have that happen. I hope it opened some eyes that we have to come ready to go."
 
Florida A&M grabbed an early lead on FGCU, as Janmikell Bastardo ripped a three-run homer off Eagles senior starter Nick Love (Fernandina Beach, Fla./Yulee HS/Central College of Florida/Jacksonville) in the bottom of the first inning.
 
A double-play grounder scored Rodriguez in the second to cut FGCU's deficit to 3-1, but Bastardo built it right back up with an RBI single in the fourth to make it 4-1.
 
Figeuredo's fourth homer of the season, a solo shot to left, made it 4-2 in the fifth. And both Rodriguez and junior infielder/pitcher Jacob Lojewski (West Palm Beach, Fla./Delray American Heritage HS) drew bases-loaded walks in the seventh to tie it 4-4.
 
But the Rattlers were undeterred – as left fielder Will Brown smacked an RBI single in the bottom of the seventh for a 5-4 lead, and an FGCU throwing error in the eighth resulted in the final margin.
 
Junior reliever Connor O'Hara (Davie, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) earned the loss for FGCU. Florida A&M reliever Grant Harrison earned the victory.
 
The Green & Blue continues the three-game series with Florida A&M at 2 p.m. Saturday, and finish it with a noon start Sunday. FGCU is back at Swanson Stadium on March 17-19 for its ASUN Conference-opening series against Liberty.
 
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 683-411-3 overall record (.623) 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 95 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. Nine FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport - including women's basketball (No. 20, 2021-22), baseball (No. 24 in 2023), 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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