Looking to rebound from their two losses during the week against FIU and series-opening loss against UNF, the FGCU baseball team’s losing skid continued as they were swept by the Ospreys in Jacksonville.
The Eagles lost 8-2, and 10-5, as FGCU is now 4-8 in conference play after only losing three times in their first 27 games of the year.
Down 6-2 in the eighth on Saturday, the Eagles had the bases loaded and one out, but for the second time on the afternoon, the Eagles left them loaded without scoring.
Josh Dye got the start for the Eagles as he was up against Frank German, who has yet to lose this season.
Richie Garcia gave FGCU an early 1-0 lead with a solo home run in the second inning.
After a leadoff double in the fifth off of Dye, the Ospreys tied the game up on an RBI single from Chris Berry.
In the sixth, Christian Diaz, Wesley Weeks, and Rey Gonzalez all drove in runs as UNF opened up a 4-1 lead, ending Dye’s day on the mound.
UNF tacked on two more in the seventh off the Eagles’ bullpen, but FGCU had a chance in the eighth to get back in the game with a tying run at the plate after Julio Gonzalez hit a sacrifice fly, but Michael Naylor, for the second consecutive day, held the Eagles off.
Two more runs came in to score in the eighth off Parker Hamilton, and the Eagles dropped their fourth consecutive game on Saturday.
Looking to take the final game of the series, Nick Rivera got the Eagles going with his first of two home runs on the day to give FGCU a 2-0 lead.
The next batter, Alex Brait, also went deep giving Garrett Anderson a 3-0 lead before taking the mound.
The Ospreys scored once in the second and two times in the third to tie the game at three.
Despite only allowing three runs, Anderson gave up 10 hits in the three innings prompting Dave Tollett to go the bullpen.
Sterling Koerner, who was removed from his closer role, came in for long relief but struggled as well.
In his four innings of work, he allowed seven runs to score, and, despite Rivera’s second home run of the game, FGCU trailed 10-4 after seven.
Pinch hitter, Eli Lovell, homered to left center in the ninth, but it was not enough, as the Ospreys held on for a 10-5 win.
Continuing its nine-game road trip, FGCU will now head to West Palm Beach on Tuesday, April 25 to take on FAU for a midweek game before they head to NJIT for a three-game series starting on Friday, April 28.