JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – FGCU fell to Jacksonville in a tense 3–2 loss on Friday at John Sessions Stadium.
FGCU (34-19, 17-11 Atlantic Sun) had held Jacksonville (28-24, 15-14) to one hit until the ninth inning, when the Dolphins used a three-run burst to overcome the Eagles' lead.
Jon Embury finished with three hits and drove in one run, leading the team in hits.
Chris Diaz pitched 5 innings without allowing a hit or a walk, striking out one batter.
Preston Rogers contributed three innings of relief, recording three strikeouts while allowing just one hit.
Wilfred Gonzalez added two hits to his performance, showcasing consistent contact at the plate.
Chris Diaz delivered a strong performance for the Eagles, pitching 5 innings without allowing a hit or a walk, while striking out one batter.
Preston Rogers provided solid relief, pitching three innings and allowing only one hit while recording three strikeouts. Elliot Cadieux-Lanoue (2-1) was charged with the loss after issuing three walks, hitting one batter, and allowing three earned runs in just 1/3 of an inning. Hyatt Richardson's brief appearance consisted of facing a single batter and allowing a hit on his only pitch.
Derek Bermudez played a pivotal role for the Dolphins with two RBIs, contributing significantly to the team's offensive efforts. Brendan Holland excelled on the mound, pitching five innings without allowing a run and striking out six batters. Cade Walter showed patience at the plate, drawing a walk while also scoring a run. Meanwhile, Blake Edmonds also crossed home plate, further aiding the team's scoring. Kyle Powers (2-3) pitched three innings in relief, striking out two and securing the win for the team.
Florida Gulf Coast took the lead in the sixth inning when Juan Santos walked and later scored on Embury's RBI single to center field.
Evan Dempsey also crossed the plate after
Cayden Hessemyer drew a bases-loaded walk, giving the Green & Blue a 2–0 advantage. The score stood at 2–0 after six innings.
The pitching combination of
Chris Diaz and
Preston Rogers took a perfect game into the eighth inning before Abdriel Delgado hit a leadoff single. Logan Baratta then hit into a double play to prevent a runner from reaching scoring position before Rogers struck out Sam Grunberg to end the inning.
In a tense ninth inning, JU staged a comeback. Blake Edmonds walked and eventually scored on Roger Vergara's RBI walk. Derek Bermudez then delivered a decisive two-RBI single to center field, allowing Sammy Mummau and Cade Walter to score, securing a 3–2 victory for Jacksonville.
The two teams meet for the rubber game of the series and the regular season finale for both teams on Saturday, May 16 at 1 p.m. in Jacksonville.
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Game Notes:
- Florida Gulf Coast still leads the all-time series over Jacksonville, 41-30. The Eagles are 13-16 when playing at JU.
- Friday's loss snaps a nine-game conference win streak.
- Evan Dempsey has now scored 21 runs in his past 17 games.
- Jaret Nelson - Reached a total of 334 putouts this season, including 8 in the current game, surpassing the milestone of 330.
- Juan Santos - Achieved a total of 120 putouts this season, including 5 in the current game.
