The FGCU baseball team played its final nonconference game of the season on Tuesday, May 12 at Swanson Stadium, falling 9-3 against FAU. The loss snapped the Eagles’ seven-game win streak, which dated back to May 1.
It was the final outing between the two teams, and Tuesday’s loss ties the season series at two apiece. The Eagles most recent loss was also against FAU in a 8-1 final in April.
FGCU held off FAU in the first two innings behind strong performances from its outfielders and starting pitcher Ryan Rushing, who recorded two strikeouts in the second inning.
The Owls broke through in the top of the third inning with two runs. The first came after a failed pickoff attempt by Rushing allowed FAU infielder Brando Leroux to advance from first to third. Leroux later scored on the following play. Two at bats later, the Owls added an RBI hit to extend its lead to 2-0.
The Eagles got on the board in the fifth inning after infielder Wilfred Gonzalez drove in pitcher Evan Dempsey from second base. The inning didn’t come without its shortcomings, however. FGCU left three runners on base, shutting down what could’ve been a 4-2 lead for the team.
FAU capitalized on FGCU’s pitching struggles, scoring four runs in the top of the seventh. Eagles pitcher Stetson Callaway gave up three hits for four runs, threw two strikeouts, while facing eight batters in his lone inning of work. It was his first appearance on the mound since FGCU’s previous matchup against the Owls.
FGCU’s pitching problems continued in the following inning, prompting FAU to score three more runs. Eagles pitcher Simon Aluko gave up two hits, three runs and struck out none before being replaced before the inning’s end. Owls infielder Patrick Ward tallied an RBI double to bring in runs from first and second base.
With the bases loaded, FGCU outfielder Jeremy Comer scored from third base after infielder Keaton Kangas was hit by a pitch. The Eagles again struggled to bring runs home, leaving three batters stranded at the end of the inning.
The Eagles added their final run when Comer recorded an RBI that allowed Gonzalez to score from third base.
FGCU wraps up its regular season with a three-game series against ASUN conference rival Jacksonville starting Friday, May 15.
