FORT MYERS, Fla. - Five hits were all Florida Gulf Coast University needed Friday night as the Eagles used 10 walks and five hit batters to roll to a 10-3 win over Austin Peay State University in the opener of an Atlantic Sun Conference baseball series at Swanson Stadium.
"That was the most unselfish game I thought we've played all year long," said FGCU head coach
Dave Tollett. "We only had five hits, but we were able to capitalize on some mistakes. It's a big win for us tonight against another quality ball club and probably one of the best offenses in the country."
While the Eagles (19-17, 11-5 ASUN) had only five hits, two of them came off the bat of
Evan Dempsey to the tune of four RBI. His two-run single in the fifth with two out plated a pair to tie the score, 3-3. An inning later after bases loaded walks to
Jake McKee and
Ian Farrow and a hit batter in the form of
Charles Davalan, Dempsey delivered another two-run knock to left to make it 8-3 and put the game out of reach.
"The last 10 games, he's been pretty special," said Coach Tollett. "His bat to ball skills and his two-strike approach have been great. We thought it was time to move him up in the order. He's not a freshman anymore, and he's been doing really well for us."
APSU (21-16, 9-7 ASUN) started the series ranked third in the country in home runs per game, and while the Govs had a two-run shot to make it a 3-1 game in the fifth, the Eagles kept the guests at bay for the majority of the contest.
Davian Garcia worked five innings in his third-straight Friday start for FGCU, but it was
Jake Bunz (1-1) who worked three scoreless innings. Bunz got out of the sixth inning unscathed after APSU loaded the bases, then stranded two more men in the seventh before a perfect eighth inning on the hill. "If I had to give a game ball, it'd probably be to [Jake]," Coach Tollett said. "I thought he was really, really special. Each time he's out there, he's getting a tick better, and that's just great news for us."
Davalan finished the game with four runs scored, crossing home in the first on Farrow's grounder to short. In addition to coming home on Dempsey's two hits, he also scored on a bases loaded walk to
Jacob Lojewski.
The win allows FGCU to keep pace with Kennesaw State, Stetson, and Jacksonville in the four-way first place tie in the ASUN. APSU is now two games out of the logjam at the top, with Lipscomb a game behind in sixth place.
The Eagles will look to take the series Saturday at Swanson Stadium, with first pitch set for 2 p.m.
