FORT MYERS, Fla. – FGCU capitalized on a late surge with four runs in the seventh inning and eight more in the eighth as the Eagles claimed the series over North Florida on Sunday, overcoming a late two-run deficit. The 13-3 (8 inn.) win for FGCU was clinched as
Jaret Nelson scored on a wild pitch to end the game in run-rule fashion in front of 659 fans at Swanson Stadium.
North Florida (24-19, 15-6 Atlantic Sun) trotted out nine pitchers in the game, with five in the eighth inning alone. However, the Ospreys could not solve the equation to silence the bats of FGCU (26-16, 10-10 ASUN), giving up 13 runs on 13 hits in the contest as every Eagle player in the lineup either scored or drove in a run.
Jeremy Comer continued his hitting spree from Saturday, recording three hits and scoring two runs. Drew Seidel's two hits were a triple and a home run, and
Jaret Nelson added two hits and drove in two runs while also crossing the plate twice.
Comer emphasized the significance of Florida Gulf Coast's decisive victory over UNF, noting, "This is a huge series win. This is going to be a turning point in our year."
Comer credited a conversation with FGCU head coach
Dave Tollett for his recent turnaround in performance, stating, "I went up and talked to Coach Toe after Friday... he said, you know what, just slow things down, get back to the basics." The win was supported by strong pitching from Possehl and Rogers, who "threw a lot of strikes, let the defense play behind them," contributing to the comprehensive team effort at Swanson Stadium.
Hunter Possehl pitched 5 1/3 innings in his third consecutive effective start, allowing four hits and one earned run while striking out three batters.
Preston Rogers (5-3) was called in from the bullpen, pitching 2 2/3 innings and allowing seven hits with two earned runs. He was credited with the win while recording two strikeouts and did not issue any walks over 61 pitches, 42 of which were strikes.
John Costa (1-1) was charged with the loss, allowing three runs on two hits in 1 1/3 innings on the mound. Of the nine Osprey pitchers in the game, seven failed to complete a full inning on the mound.
The eighth inning alone was full of action. In the bottom half of the inning, North Florida got off to a bad start by hitting leadoff hitter Merrick Rapoza, and it didn't get much better after that. After hitting Rapoza and throwing two pitches well outside of the zone to
Jeremy Comer, North Florida's Joseph Dimino – who entered the game in the start of the half-inning – was yanked in favor of Jeremiah Stewart. A Comer single, followed by Drew Seidel getting hit by a pitch loaded the bases for the Eagles.
Juan Santos drew a full count walk to score Rapoza. Another pitching change and
Evan Dempsey drove a single to right to score two more.
Javier Gorostola drew a walk to load the bases once more. Yet another pitching change set up back-to-back-to-back RBI hits by
Wilfred Gonzalez, Nelson and
Cayden Hessemyer, scoring a total of four runs. UNF made yet another change while still in search of at least a single out, which finally came in the way of a Rapoza ground ball to short as the Eagles turned their lineup over.
The Ospreys played the odds by intentionally walking Comer, but a wild pitch scored Nelson and triggered the 10-run rule, ending the game.
In the previous inning, FGCU faced a 3-1 deficit with one out when Comer singled through the left side of the infield. Drew Seidel, who earlier had hit his first triple of the season, sent an 0-1 pitch 364 feet past the right field fence for a two-run home run. Santos drew a hit by pitch, which prompted an Osprey pitching change, only for the new pitcher to give up a 417-foot home run by Dempsey in a shot that landed in the infield of the adjacent FGCU Softball Complex.
The Eagles jumped on the board first, scoring in the second inning. Nelson's single to center field set the stage for the Eagles, as he later stole second base and scored on Comer's RBI single to right center. This put the Eagles ahead 1–0.
Gallery: (4-26-2026) FGCU vs. North Florida
The Ospreys took the lead in the sixth inning when Gialdri Gomez hit an uncontested solo home run, and Benjamin's RBI double brought in another run, making it 2–1 in favor of North Florida.
The Green & Blue responded in the seventh inning with a four-run surge. FGCU's eight-run outburst in the eighth wrapped up the game, and series, in favor of the Eagles.
Florida Gulf Coast remains at home on Tuesday as the Eagles host Florida Atlantic. First pitch at Swanson Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. and
tickets for the contest remain on sale.
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Game Notes:
- The eight runs scored by FGCU in the eighth inning are the most in a single inning by the Eagles this year.
- FGCU recorded its 10th come-from-behind win of the season after trailing 3-1 in the seventh inning.
- The game marked the ninth walkoff win for the Eagles this season.
- The four-run seventh and eight-run eighth marked the 15th and 16th, respectively, big innings for the Green & Blue this season.
- That win marked career win No. 775 for FGCU head coach Dave Tollett.
- Florida Gulf Coast now leads the all-time series over the Ospreys, 41-33. The Green & Blue are 19-15 against UNF in Fort Myers and have a 38-28 mark in conference play.
- FGCU is now 2-1 in rubber games this season.
- Team - Achieved a season high of 14 fielding assists in the game.
- Team - Produced 13 runs, exceeding their season average of 6.93.
- Drew Seidel - Recorded 2 or more runs batted in for the second consecutive game.
- Evan Dempsey - Recorded at least 2 hits in back-to-back games.
- Jeremy Comer - Recorded 3 hits, exceeding the season average of 1.1.
- Juan Santos - Achieved 1 run batted in for the first time this season.
- Wilfred Gonzalez - Recorded 2 hits, surpassing their season average of 1.29.
- Wilfred Gonzalez - Achieved 3 fielding assists, which is more than their season average of 1.66.
