FORT MYERS, Fla. -
Charles Davalan ripped a three-run double to get Florida Gulf Coast University close, but the Eagles ultimately fell to Austin Peay State University 9-6 Saturday afternoon at Swanson Stadium in the second game of an Atlantic Sun Conference baseball series.
The Eagles (19-18, 11-6 ASUN) dropped their first ASUN game at home this season after starting out 7-0. Things looked good for FGCU early as it manufactured a first inning run.
Charles Davalan reached when a fly ball to the right side of the infield dropped between four infielders for a two-base error. The freshman would move to third on a foul out by
Mac Moise, then would score on an
Ian Farrow sacrifice fly.
Austin Peay (22-16, 10-7 ASUN) tied the game with a homer in the second, and the Eagles would manufacture a run again in the third to take the lead.
Dalton Robinson laid down a perfect bunt single, then moved into scoring position on a stolen base. Davalan would ground out to the right side to put Robinson on third, then Moise would ground out to third, plating Robinson and making it 2-1.
APSU would tie the game again on a homer in the fourth, then a four-spot in the fifth would put the Govs ahead 6-2. After another run in the sixth made it 7-2, the Eagles came off the deck with four of their own in the seventh to pull within one. FGCU worked the bases loaded for Davalan. After thinking he was hit by a pitch, Davalan was forced to return to the plate instead of trotting down to first. Undaunted, Davalan ripped the next pitch into the corner in right, scoring
Harrison Povey,
Javier Gorostola, and Robinson to make it 7-5.
Davalan continued to help apply the pressure. Moise drew a four-pitch walk, with the Montreal, Quebec native swiping third on the next pitch. A wild pitch one batter later allowed Davalan to score, making it 7-6.
The Eagles would press to score the tying run. Farrow and
Evan Dempsey would get infield hits to load the bases, but a pop out and a fly out left the bases loaded and the Eagles still one run back.
After a scoreless eighth, Austin Peay would get a pair of insurance runs in the ninth on a two-out single through the right side. The Eagles would go down in order in the ninth, and Austin Peay earned its first-ever win against FGCU.
Lucas Hartman (5-3) took the loss for FGCU, allowing six runs on seven hits in four innings.
Cameron Bye gave up one run in three innings of work, with
Connor O'Hara,
Matt Kavanaugh, and
Alejandro Valiente combining to allow two runs over two innings.
The two teams will meet Sunday in the rubber game of the series. First pitch at Swanson Stadium is set for 1 p.m.
