FORT MYERS, Fla. – FGCU extended its best start to a season in program history Sunday with a 14-7 win over Stonehill College. For the Eagles, four home runs – including two by
Jon Embury – allowed the Eagles to secure their second sweep in as many weeks.
Embury once again showcased his power with two home runs as part of his 2-for-3 performance with two runs scored and four RBIs while also drawing a walk. Through seven games the Eagles' catcher is hitting an impressive .469 with five home runs, 12 runs scored and 14 RBIs. Of his 15 hits this season, 10 have been for extra bases.
In all, FGCU (7-0) slugged out 14 runs on 13 hits while drawing nine walks with five extra-base hits. Stonehill (0-7) trotted out seven different pitchers to the mound, none of whom lasted more than 1 2/3 innings, and all but two allowed multiple runs.
Noah Durham (0-2) was charged with the loss for Stonehill after allowing three runs on three hits in 1 2/3 innings. Durham gave up back-to-back home runs on consecutive pitches to start the game, allowing
Evan Dempsey to hit a 382 foot home run on a 2-1 count to start the bottom of the first followed by Embury's first shot – a 371-foot home run to left – on his very next pitch.
The Eagles scored six runs over the next three innings – including Embury's second home run, which was a 413-foot shot to deep center – and never trailed in the game. Following two quieter innings for the Green & Blue, FGCU's offense exploded in the seventh for five runs on three hits courtesy of RBIs from
Wilfred Gonzalez,
Cayden Hessemyer,
Tyler Herb and Embury, via a sacrifice fly.
Stonehill piecemealed runs in staggered innings throughout the game but fell prey to 10 strikeouts delivered by Eagles pitchers, including seven from starter
Hunter Possehl. Possehl (1-0), in his second start of the year, went five full innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits while walking one and fanning seven.
FGCU will host Indiana State (3-4) – a program that has made appearances in the NCAA Regionals three of the past four years – in a two-game series at Swanson Stadium beginning Tuesday. Of the four losses on the Sycamores' ledger, three have come at the hands of top-25 teams – No. 17 NC State (10-4), No. 21 Wake Forest (10-1) and No. 23 Miami (6-2).
Tickets are on sale for the games on
Tuesday and
Wednesday, both of which begin at 6:30 p.m.
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Game Notes
- Florida Gulf Coast is now 4-0 all-time against Stonehill College.
- The Eagles are 7-0 for the first time in program history.
- Tyler Herb - Recorded a season-high 2 runs batted in.
- Herb - Totaled a season-high 5 fielding assists.
- Merrick Rapoza - Achieved 1 run batted in for the first time this season.
- Embury - Notched 4 runs batted in, above their career average of 0.65.
- Jeremy Comer - Recorded 2 runs, exceeding their season average of 1.0.
- Javier Gorostola - Collected 2 walks, which is above their career average of 0.2.
- Nelson - Tallied 3 runs batted in, above their career average of 0.53.
- Nelson - Recorded 2 runs, exceeding their career average of 0.5.
- Nelson - Drove in 3 runs, exceeding their season average of 1.5.
- Possehl - Pitched a season-high of 5 innings.
- Possehl - Recorded a season-high total of 7 ground outs while pitching.
- Dempsey - Recorded 2 runs, surpassing their career average of 0.79.
- Lasher - Recorded a season-high total of 2 runs.
