FGCU-Eastern Kentucky game notes | FGCU-Eastern Kentucky Game 1 Live Stats | Watch FGCU-Eastern Kentucky Game 1 | 2023 FGCU baseball stats | 2023 FGCU schedule
 
FORT MYERS, Fla. – The No. 15 FGCU baseball team (26-7, 10-2) aims to win its fifth straight ASUN Conference series beginning Friday night at Eastern Kentucky.
 
Game 1 of the three-game series is set for 6 p.m. Friday from Earle Combs Stadium in Richmond, Ky. The game will be streamed on ESPN+, and live stats are also available. Saturday's game is also scheduled for 6 p.m., and Sunday's series finale is set for 10 a.m.
 
The Eagles sit atop the ASUN Conference, enjoying a one-game conference lead over Jacksonville State and Lipscomb. Eastern Kentucky is 13-19 overall and 4-8 in the ASUN -- ranking 12th in the 14-team league. FGCU has earned series victories this season over Liberty, North Alabama, Jacksonville, and Queens (N.C.) – sweeping UNA and Queens.

FGCU coach Dave Tollett is just three victories from the 700-win plateau. Tollett's .626 winning percentage (697-415-3) ranks 31st among active Division-I coaches -- with only nine coaches on that list earning more victories. Tollett is also 35th among active Division-I coaches in victories.
 
FGCU boasts one of the hottest offenses in college baseball, ranking in the top five nationally in slugging percentage (first, .594), runs (second, 331), home runs (second, 77), home runs per game (second, 2.33), on-base percentage (third, .444), scoring (third, 10.0 runs per game), hit by pitch (fourth, 79), batting average (fifth, .326), and hits (fifth, 381).
 
Junior infielder Edrick Felix (Orlando, Fla./Victory Charter HS/College of Central Florida) is third in the country with 16 doubles, both senior infielder Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) and senior designated hitter Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla./Venice HS) are tied for fourth nationally – each scoring 45 runs, and Felix is fifth in the nation with 107 total bases.
 
Five Eagles are hitting over .300, led by Figueredo at .390. Felix and junior infielder Jacob Lojewski (West Palm Beach, Fla./Delray American Heritage HS) each have hit a team-high 13 home runs, with Figueredo and Kinker each belting 12 homers. Kinker has driven in a team-best 45 runs, with Lojewski driving in 44.
 
Felix contributing 43 RBIs and Figueredo driving in 40. Felix also has a team-best 16 doubles and a team-best .793 slugging percentage. As a team, FGCU leads the ASUN at .326 – 25 points in front of second-place Austin Peay.
 
The Eagles are coming off a bittersweet 5-4 home loss to FAU on Tuesday night. Graduate outfielder Brian Ellis (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) broke the unofficial NCAA record for consecutive games safely reaching base in the first inning, drawing a leadoff walk to get onboard for his 102^nd straight game. But the Green & Blue mustered a season-low four hits against the Owls – two coming via homers by Felix and senior catcher Alejandro Rodriguez (Cidra, Puerto Rico/Montverde Academy/Eastern Florida State) that contributed to all the scoring.
 
Eastern Kentucky has lost three of its last four games, including a 14-2 loss at No. 12 Tennessee on Tuesday night. The Colonels also dropped two of three ASUN games last weekend at Jacksonville.
 
Junior infielder Miguel Larreal is the only EKU hitter over .300, as he is hitting .349. The Colonels only hit .249 as a team, which ranks 12^th in the ASUN. Senior first baseman Charlie Ludwick and junior catcher Will King have each hit a team-high six home runs, and Ludwig has driven in a team-best 23 RBIs.
 
Eastern Kentucky joined the ASUN in 2021, and FGCU has never faced the Colonels until this weekend.
 
FGCU will send redshirt sophomore Connor O'Hara (Davie, Fla./St. Thomas Aquinas HS) to the mound Friday for his third start of the season. Eastern Kentucky will counter with sophomore Isaac Milburn.
 
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 697-415-3 overall record (.626) and a 238-131 (.645) 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 97 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 48 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 in 2021-22 and No. 22 in 2022-23), baseball (No. 15 in 2023), beach volleyball (No. 20 in 2022), and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as five 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 3.67 GPA in the classroom in the fall 2022 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 27 consecutive semesters. The past seven semesters (Fall 2019 – Fall 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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