FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Florida Gulf Coast University baseball team dropped the final game of the series 7-2 to the University of West Georgia this afternoon at Swanson Stadium. The Eagles are now 8-16 and 1-5 in the ASUN while the Wolves are 13-9 and 4-2 in the conference.
West Georgia jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the top of the first when it took advantage of a hit by pitch and back-to-back doubles to plate a pair of early runs.
FGCU was held scoreless for the first three innings until catcher
Mac Moise cut the lead in half in the bottom of the fourth when he tallied his fifth home run of the season to make it a 2-1 game.
The Wolves pushed two runs across on two hits and an Eagles miscue to increase their lead to 4-1 in the top of the fifth.
FGCU threatened in the bottom of the sixth when it tallied its second hit of the game and was able to get runners on the corners with two down, but the Wolves' pitching was able to get out of the jam.
With bases loaded in the seventh, the Wolves were able to tack on another run off a sacrifice fly to make it, 5-1.
The Eagles in their half of the seventh were able to get the run back when
Robert Moya started things off with a single to right and then moved to second when Aiden Corn drew a walk. Following back-to-back outs, FGCU was down to its final chance in the frame when
Jake McKee's RBI double to the gap in right-center scored Moya to cut the lead to 5-2 before the inning ended.
West Georgia added some insurance in the ninth to go up 7-2 to secure the win as the Eagles threatened late in the game with runners on base but were unable to capitalize from it.
McKee paced all FGCU hitters with two hits while driving in one of the team's two runs. He also tallied one of the two extra-base hits for the Eagles. Moise was the other Eagle with an extra-base hit in the form of a home run while finishing with two walks.
Moya registered the team's final hit of the day going 1-for-4 with a run scored.
Starting pitcher
Chase Kriebel took the loss (0-2) as he allowed two runs on two hits in two-thirds of an inning. Reliever
Evan Dempsey allowed two runs on seven hits over five and third innings while striking out a game-high five.
FGCU looks to bounce back on Tuesday, March 25 when it hosts Florida Atlantic University at 6:30 p.m. The game can be seen on ESPN+.
