MIAMI – FGCU compiled a season-high 21 hits – including five doubles – and used a five-run 10
th inning to pull past FIU, 11-6, Tuesday night in front of 185 at FIU Baseball Stadium in Miami.
After FIU (7-11) managed to tie the game in the ninth, the Eagles offense came alive once again. FGCU (13-4) regained the lead on a
Jeremy Comer sac fly then used a
Jaret Nelson home run to put the game out of reach for the homestanding Panthers. The win marked the fourth consecutive victory over FIU for the Eagles.
FGCU had five different players record three hits, including
Javier Gorostola whose 3-for-5 day at the plate extended his program-record hitting streak to 35 games. Gorostola would score twice and also make an impressive play to the plate to prevent a run late in the game.
Comer finished the night with a 3-for-4 performance with two runs scored, but his lone RBI would prove to be the game-winner, coming on a sac fly to right in the 10
th to score
Evan Dempsey. That would be Dempsey's lone run scored as part of his 3-for-5 night while driving in two runs.
One batter after Comer's sac fly gave FGCU the lead once more, Nelson left no doubt that the Eagles would not relinquish the lead once again. The senior first baseman sent a shot (at least) 354 feet to left for a two-run home run.
Elliot Cadieux Lanoue (1-0) registered his first win of the year after holding FIU hitless in the final 1 1/3 innings while striking out two of the six batters he faced. FGCU pitchers combined for 11 strikeouts, but also issued 10 walks in the contest.
Clayton Sherwood (0-1) was charged with the loss after allowing two runs on one hit in the 10
th while not recording an out. Offensively, the Panthers were led by Cole Cleveland's 3-for-5 day at the plate.
The Eagles took an early lead against the Panthers with Gorostola's double setting the stage for Dempsey, who singled to bring him home, giving Florida Gulf Coast a 1-0 advantage at the end of the first inning.
In the second inning, Herb doubled to score
Jeremy Comer, and then
Jon Embury's single brought Herb in, extending the Eagles' lead to 3-0.
The Eagles added two more runs in the third inning with
Cayden Hessemyer's single driving in
Wilfred Gonzalez and Comer, making it 5-0.
The Panthers replied in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to narrow the Eagles' lead to 5-3. Trivella's double was pivotal, driving in two of the Panthers' runs.
The Panthers tied the game in the sixth inning at 5-5 after a two-run double by Cleveland. The score remained tied going into the eighth inning.
In the eighth, the Eagles regained the lead with Dempsey's RBI double scoring Gorostola, putting the score at 6-5 in favor of the Green & Blue.
The Panthers managed to tie the game once again in the ninth with a sacrifice fly from Ildefonso, pushing the game into extra innings at 6-6.
Florida Gulf Coast broke the deadlock in the 10th inning, scoring five runs. Dempsey scored on a sacrifice fly by Comer, followed by a two-run homer from Nelson. Runs continued to pour in due to a balk and a wild pitch, sealing the Eagles' decisive final score.
FGCU returns home to host Queens (4-13) as both teams open Atlantic Sun Conference play on Friday evening. The Royals are coming off an 11-6 loss to Notre Dame in a game held at Kannapolis, North Carolina's Atrium Health Ballpark. Queens will travel to Fort Myers in hopes of snapping a nine-game losing streak.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
For more information on the Eagles, follow FGCU Athletics on
Instagram,
X (Twitter) and
Facebook, and visit
FGCUathletics.com.
Game Notes:
- The Eagles now lead the all-time series over the Panthers, 19-10, with an 11-5 advantage in Miami.
- Florida Gulf Coast is now 58-42 against current Conference USA programs.
- Wilfred Gonzalez - Achieved a season-high total of 11 putouts.
- Ryan Rushing - Achieved a season-high of 3 strikeouts swinging.
- Javier Gorostola - Achieved at least 2 runs in 4 consecutive games.
- Jaret Nelson - Recorded at least 2 bases on balls in 2 consecutive games.
- Evan Dempsey - Achieved 2 runs batted in for the second straight game.
- Gorostola extended his program-record hitting streak to 35 games.
- Dempsey - Recorded at least 3 hits in 2 consecutive games.
