FGCU-Stetson box score | 2023 FGCU baseball stats | 2023 FGCU schedule | ASUN scoreboard/schedule | ASUN standings
 
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Aiming for an in-series course correction after a desultory 10-strikeout loss Friday night, the FGCU baseball team (34-12 overall, 17-6 ASUN) rebounded in a huge way Saturday – racking up 13 hits in an 11-1, seven-inning victory over Stetson at Swanson Stadium.
 
With the victory, FGCU moved back into at least a share of first place in the ASUN – taking a one-game lead on the Hatters (28-19, 16-7) pending Lipscomb's result against Kennesaw State on Saturday night. The win was also the Eagles' sixth in their last seven games.
 
Junior infielder Edrick Felix (Orlando, Fla./Victory Charter HS/College of Central Florida) launched his 21^st home run of the season, a solo shot in the first that tied the single-season FGCU home-run record set by Ian Farrow last season. Senior infielder Alejandro Figueredo (Sucre, Venezuela/West Oaks HS/Seminole State) ripped a two-run shot just two batters later in the inning. Those homers give the Green & Blue a nation-best 110 home runs this season.
 
"We were a totally different team, especially after I talked with them last night after the (10-7) loss talking about things we need to do better," said FGCU head baseball coach Dave Tollett. "Last night we struck out 10 times and had three doubles plays – that's 16 outs of the 27 you get. Today we struck out twice, and we had a huge start with two home runs and then the big second inning."
 
Stetson had little answer for freshman right-hander Justin Henschel (Plantation, Fla. South Plantation HS), who scattered four hits and an earned run with seven strikeouts and no walks. Henschel improved to 6-1, with graduate Max Rippl (Fort Myers, Fla./Southwest Florida Christian Academy/Kent State) and senior Tyler Tipton (Tampa, Fla. Gaither HS South Florida State) each striking out two Hatters in an inning each of work.
 
"Getting off to a lead like that is great, because it sets up Henschel for a really quality start for a freshman," Tollett said. "And it was really great down the road for us to get Tyler in there for a good inning of work."
 
The combination of Felix's first-inning smash to left and Figueredo's two-run moonshot that ricocheted about 40 feet off the left-field light pole was all the Green & Blue needed offensively. But it didn't stop FGCU from piling up seven runs in the second inning to put the game completely out of reach.
 
Stetson spotted FGCU the first two runs of the second inning via a wild pitch and a bases-loaded hit by pitch. Senior designated hitter Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla./Venice HS) ripped an RBI single up the middle, Figueredo delivered a two-run single to left, and senior pitcher/outfielder Stephen Wilmer (Sarasota, Fla./Riverview HS/Pasco-Hernando State/ECU) added a two-run single to right for a 10-1 lead.
 
With Henschel, Rippl, and Tipton cruising, FGCU added the run-rule deciding tally in the fourth via a sacrifice fly from junior infielder/pitcher Jacob Lojewski (West Palm Beach, Fla./Delray American Heritage HS).
 
Figueredo, Kinker, Wilmer, Lojewski, and sophomore outfielder Harrison Povey (Indian Rocks Beach, Fla. Largo HS) each finished with two hits. Graduate outfielder Brian Ellis (Oviedo, Fla./Hagerty HS) went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored, extending his unofficial NCAA record for consecutive games safely reaching base to 115.
 
The Eagles and Hatters finish the critical ASUN series at 1 p.m. Sunday. FGCU sends freshman left-hander Chase Kriebel (Shippenville, Pa./Clarion Area HS) to the mound for the finale, with Stetson expected to start southpaw Daniel Paret.
 
For complete coverage of FGCU baseball, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_Baseball and online at http://www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU baseball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting http://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 705-420-3 overall record (.626) and a 245-136 (.643) 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 98 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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