FORT MYERS, Fla – The Florida Gulf Coast University baseball team dropped the first game of the series 2-0 to the visiting conference foe the University of West Georgia tonight at Swanson Stadium.
Following a 1-2-3 top of the first for West Georgia,
Mac Moise tallied the game's and FGCU's first hit through the left side in its half. He later was caught stealing second for the first out before the inning ended.
FGCU (8-14, 1-3 ASUN) tallied its second base runner of the contest when
Aidan Corn reached first on an error by the third baseman with one down in the bottom of the second, but the next two hitters went down in order.
After a scoreless third inning for both teams, West Georgia (11-9, 2-2 ASUN) plated the only two runs of the game in the top of the fourth. UWG used back-to-back singles to start things off and then a ground out moved the runners into scoring position. West Georgia later was able to get a single through the right side to score both runners to take a 2-0 lead.
The Eagles threatened in the fifth when
Tyler Herb doubled down the right-field line to open the inning, but UWG sat down the next three hitters to end the danger.
The West Georgia starting pitcher after the fifth did not allow an Eagle to reach base for the rest of the game as he threw a complete game shutout.
Jake Mummau was the only other FGCU player to reach base when he was hit by a pitch back in the third, while Moise and Herb tallied the team's only hits.
FGCU starter
Chris Diaz allowed six hits over seven innings while giving up two runs to drop to 1-1 on the season. He struck out six in the process.
Reliever
Dylan Cheeley struck out three in two innings while not allowing a hit for FGCU.
The Eagles are home again tomorrow for game two of the series against West Georgia. First pitch is set for 2 p.m. and can be seen on ESPN+.
