FORT MYERS, Fla. - An offensive explosion against a cross-coast foe made for a perfect close to the 2024 home slate for Florida Gulf Coast University as the Eagles defeated Florida Atlantic University 28-18 Tuesday afternoon at Swanson Stadium.
Robert Moya set a new program record for runs in a game as he crossed home six times in the contest. Three of those trips came thanks to homers as the senior connected on three blasts over the Swanson Stadium wall. Moya's three homers marked the first time in program history that an FGCU player had homered three times in a home game. His
The Eagles (26-24) tied the program record for total bases in a game that dates back to 2005 with 47. They also tied the record for RBI in a game with 28, the most since last year at North Alabama. The RBI total is the most in a home game since March 2005 against Saint Rose College.
"I tell you what, they showed me a lot," said FGCU head coach
Dave Tollett. "We're getting better in so many ways."
Yet for all of the offense in the game, it didn't look as though the Eagles would be in position to win the game after the first half inning. The Owls (24-26) sent 11 batters to the plate in the first, scoring seven to take a 7-0 lead.
Evan Dempsey would help the Eagles answer back with three in the bottom half thanks to an
Evan Dempsey three-run blast.
Then, the levee broke, the flood gates opened, and the Green and Blue had one of the biggest innings in program history. Eighteen men came to the plate for FGCU, with 14 scoring. The 14 runs in one frame is believed to be the most runs in an inning in FGCU history. The first eight men to bat would reach, with
Javier Gorostola starting the scoring with an RBI double.
Charles Davalan would send a drive out to right for a three-run blast two batters later, tying the game 7-7. After a
Jacob Lojewski RBI single, the Eagles would hold an 8-7 lead.
FAU would get the first out of the inning one batter later, but then the next six Eagles would reach, with all of them scoring. Moya would collect his first RBI with a single, then Gorostola added two more runs to give the Eagles a 11-7 lead. Davalan would reach on a fielding error, earning an RBI in the process for the ninth run of the inning.
Mac Moise would be hit by a pitch to make it 13-7, then
Ian Farrow drilled a grand slam down the line in left to make it a 17-7 game and give the Eagles a 14-spot in the second.
"Down 7-0 in the first and come back and put up three to make it a game," said Coach Tollett, "then just had a great second. One of the best in program history."
Neither team would be done scoring as FAU would plate three in the third on a three-run homer. Moya would then go the other way for an opposite field homer to start the bottom of the third and make it 18-10. An FAU homer an inning later would make it 18-11, but an RBI double by Lojewski and a two-run homer by Moya made it 21-11 through four.
The Owls scored once in the fifth and twice in the sixth to make it 21-14. Moya would come back up to the plate again in the bottom of the inning though and continued his career game. Moya sent a 1-1 offering over the wall in right center to make it 23-14.
Still, it seemed like FAU might find a way to make it a game. A four-run seventh brought the Owls within five, 23-18, but the Eagles found a way to end the game early by plating five runs with two men out in the bottom of the inning. With two men out, Lojewski's dribbler past the mound loaded the bases.
Harrison Povey would come through with his first hit of the game, as his two-run single made it 25-18. Moya's chance at history with four homers in a game would go away quickly as the Owls decided to intentionally walk the senior to load the bases. Gorostola would double to right on an 0-1 pitch to pull the Eagles within a run of an early close to the game.
Trevor Kole would be the one to do the deed, as he would single on the first pitch of the final at-bat of the game to score Moya with his record-setting sixth run and the Eagles' 28th run of the game.
Derek Crum (1-2) would earn the win for FGCU as he was the only FGCU pitcher to have a scoreless inning as he kept FAU off the board in the second. Crum had the longest outing of any FGCU pitcher, working 2.1 innings in total.
The Eagles will wrap up the regular season with a three-game Atlantic Sun Conference set against North Florida in Jacksonville. First pitch Thursday is set for 6 p.m.
