After a two-week road swing, the FGCU baseball team (32-18, 14-6 ASUN) will return to Swanson Stadium to wrap up the regular season with a series against the Liberty Flames (36-16, 14-7 ASUN) May 16-18. First pitch is slated for 6:30 p.m. both Thursday and Friday night.
Prior to Saturday’s 1 p.m. start, head coachDave Tollett will be honoring the six seniors in the 2019 graduating class: Justin Gill, Kohl Gilmore, Eric Gonzalez, Jay Hayes, Evan Lumbert, and Keith Stevens. All three games will be streamed on YouTube Live and Saturday’s game will have live play-by-play commentary.
BRINGIN’ IT HOME
The Eagles currently sit at the top of the league standings. A series win against Liberty, who enters the weekend at second, would award FGCU with the 2019 Regular Season Championship title.
The regular season crown would be the fifth for the Green and Blue (2008, 2009, 2010, and 2014).
A LOOK AT FGCU
On Monday, Stevens(Miami, FL/Miami Killian HS/Hillsborough CC) was named ASUN Player of the Week for the first time in his career as an Eagle. The outfielder leads the ASUN with a .381 batting average in conference games.
Stevens was the fourth player to receive a weekly award for the Green and Blue this season. Lumbert (Orlando, FL/Boone HS/South Florida State) and freshmanJoe Kinker (Northport, FL/Venice HS)swept the awards on March 11 andGonzalez (Miami, FL/American HS/ASA College) was selected on April 15.
FGCU has one of the best offenses in the league, leading the ASUN in runs (328), RBIs (294) and on-base percentage (.388).
Junior Mason Studstill is allowing an average of 4.70 hits per nine innings, which is the third-lowest in the national standings. Both pitchers ahead of him in the rankings have thrown less innings.
Studstill (Titusville, FL/Rockledge HS/Eastern Florida State) owns a conference-high ERA of 2.00. His 91 strikeouts are the second-most of any ASUN arm and tie for fourth in the FGCU single-season standings. He needs nine more to pass Kutter Crawford (2017) for third place. Current Boston Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale holds the top two spots with 146 (2010) and 104 (2009).
Junior Alex Brait has caught 11 runners stealing base this season, the 10th-most of any Eagle in the program’s history. Brait (Viera, FL/Viera HS) has thrown two runners out on three separate occasions this season. The single-game record is three.
Senior Jay Hayes paces the ASUN with in on-base percentage (.455) and slugging percentage (.563). He leads the Green and Blue with 10 home runs and 44 RBIs.
LAST TIME OUT
The Eagles took two-of-three in a series against NJIT at Skylands Stadium this past weekend.
The Highlanders claimed an 8-4 victory over FGCU in the series opener. Studstill (5-2) was tagged with his second loss of the season, as he and junior Sebastian Gruszecki (Dudley, MA/Shepherd Hill Regional HS) were charged with all eight earned runs.
On Saturday, the Green and Blue bounced back and swept the doubleheader against NJIT.
Lumbert threw 8.1 innings during the first game, the longest outing of any Eagle so far this season. Stevens led the offense, finishing 2-for-4 with three RBIs. He accounted for four of the team’s six runs as FGCU earned a 6-1 win.
Both teams battled down the stretch of the second game, as the score was tied at 3-3 until the ninth inning when freshman Jalen Townsend(Oviedo, FL/Winter Park HS) brought in junior pinch runner Marc Coffers(Naples, FL/Barron Collier HS) with a sac fly for the Eagles’ winning run.
Junior closer Hunter McGarry, who threw the final four innings, was awarded the win as FGCU finished the game with a 4-3 triumph. McGarry (Bradenton, FL/Bradenton Christian School/State College of Florida) and sophomore Tyler Shuck (Cape Coral, FL/Canterbury HS) are now tied with a team-high six wins each – both are 6-1.
SERIES HISTORY VS. LIBERTY
Thursday’s game will be the first time the programs have met.
Liberty is new to the ASUN Conference this season, after leaving the Big South at the end of the 2018 academic year.
The Flames are the third new competitors for FGCU. Both LIU Brooklyn (Feb. 22-24) and ASUN newcomer North Alabama (April 26-28) were also first-time opponents for the eagles.
SCOUTING THE FLAMES
Liberty took two-of-three against Lipscomb in an ASUN conference series last weekend. The Flames dropped Friday night’s game 9-1, but claimed back-to-back 5-3, 11-0 victories to win the series.
The Flames enter the weekend with just one conference sweep under their belt (vs. UNF March 29-31) and a split 3-3 record in ASUN road games.
The Liberty pitching staff is one of the best in the nation. The team ERA of 3.35 leads the league and checks in at 10th in the national standings. The Flames have combined for seven shutouts, the fourth-most of any staff in the nation, and allow an average of 7.58 hits per nine innings, which checks in at 16th in the national ranks.
Redshirt-senior Evan Brabrand ranks as one of the nation’s top closers. He has picked up 10 saves this season, the most of any ASUN arm, and sits at 24th in the national standings.
Sophomore Will Wagner leads the team with a .326 batting average and has started all but one game for the Flames. The infielder has cranked out 19 extra-base hits.
Redshirt-junior Jonathan Embry has been credited with a team-high 100 total bases, which is good for second in the league. He is the only player that has played in all 52 of Liberty’s games this season.
Freshman Jaylen Guy has established himself as a threat on the base path. The rookie has stolen 11 bags and only been thrown out once.
ASUN Standings
1. FGCU (32-18, 14-6 ASUN) *
2. Liberty (36-16, 14-7 ASUN) *
3. Jacksonville (29-23, 12-9 ASUN) *
4. UNF (30-21, 11-9 ASUN)
5. Lipscomb (27-23, 11-10 ASUN)
6. Stetson (22-29, 9-11 ASUN)
7. Kennesaw State (25-28, 9-12 ASUN)
8. North Alabama (16-35, 7-13 ASUN)
9. NJIT (17-27-1, 7-17 ASUN)
* – Clinched a spot in ASUN Championship
THE STRENGTH OF THE CONFERENCE
The ASUN currently has four teams in the top-125 RPI ranking: Liberty (50), Jacksonville (74), UNF (103) and FGCU (124).
As a whole, ASUN teams are 7-9 against opponents ranked in the nation’s top 25.
FGCU owns a win over then-No. 5 Florida, who is currently No. 33 in RPI.
2019 SCHEDULE
The Eagles began their 55-game campaign with a bang and opened the year playing each of their first 11 games in the friendly confines of Swanson Stadium.
The Green and Blue played a total of nine times against programs from Power 5 universities (ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Pac-12, SEC).
FGCU is billed to play 36 home games and 19 contests on the road. Additional notable non-conference home games included dates with Rutgers (March 15-17), FAU (March 19), FIU (March 26) and Miami (April 10).
The first ASUN matchup was a series at UNF March 22-24, which the Eagles dropped 2-1.
FGCU will compete 16 times against programs who have played in the NCAA Championship tournament at least once over the last two years. The mark includes a Florida squad that won the national championship two years ago and advanced to the 2018 College World Series. FGCU will also grace a Stetson program (May 3-5) that hosted an NCAA Regional last year and advanced to a Super Regional.
The 2019 ASUN Conference Championship will be held May 22-25 in DeLand, Florida, and will be hosted by Stetson.
Lowest career earned run avg. (min. 40 IP)
1. 1.71 – CRAWFORD, Kutter (84.0 IP) – 2017
2. 2.00 – Studstill, Mason (76.2 IP) – 2019
3. 2.52 – SALE, Chris (228.2 IP) – 2008-10
4. 2.70 – BLEIER, Richard (209.2 IP) – 2006-08
5. 2.73 – MURRAY, Michael (284.0 IP) – 2013-15
6. 2.73 – SHAW, Derek (115.1 IP) – 2007-09
7. 2.82 – CRUMBLEY, J.J. (185.0 IP) – 2005-08
8. 2.85 – Bitner, Nikolas (41.0 IP) – 2019
9. 2.92 – KNAPP, Ricky (283.1 IP) – 2011-13
10. 2.93 – PARDO, Luis (76.2 IP) – 2007
Lowest career opponent batting avg. (min. 40 IP)
1. .151 – Studstill, Mason (76.2 IP) – 2019
2. .194 – CRAWFORD, Kutter (84.0 IP) – 2017
3. .201 – BIXLER, Brandon (128.2 IP) – 2011-13
4. .207 – CAHILL, Chris (69.2 IP) – 2003-04
5. .216 – DESGUIN, Jordan (62.0 IP) – 2015
6. .232 – KNOBLAUCH, Clint (44.1 IP) – 2012-14
7. .234 – ENGLISH, Jack (138.1 IP) – 2012-15
8. .235 – SALE, Chris (228.2 IP) – 2008-10
9. .235 – Bitner, Nikolas (41.0 IP) – 2019
10. .241 – Lumbert, Evan (56.0 IP) – 2019
Most career strikeouts/9 inn game (min. 40 IP)
1. 11.53 – SALE, Chris (228.2 IP) – 2008-10
2. 10.91 – BIXLER, Brandon (128.2 IP) – 2011-13
3. 10.68 – Studstill, Mason (76.2 IP) – 2019
4. 10.61 – CRAWFORD, Kutter (84.0 IP) – 2017
5. 10.54 – HERING, Kenton (134.0 IP) – 2016-18
6. 10.42 – GRAY, Peyton (95.0 IP) – 2017-18
7. 10.27 – WILLIAMS, Ryan (125.1 IP) – 2004-06
8. 10.21 – PARDO, Luis (76.2 IP) – 2007
9. 10.08 – CAHILL, Chris (69.2 IP) – 2003-04
10. 9.90 – BARNES, Jacob (113.2 IP) – 2009-11
Most career saves
1. 19 – KOERNER, Sterling – 2014-17
2. 15 – HERING, Kenton – 2016-18
3. 14 – CRUMBLEY, J.J. – 2005-08
4. 11 – ANDERSON, Brady – 2012-16
5. 9 – ANDERSON, Garrett – 2014-17
9 – COONEY, Harrison – 2011-13
9 – WAGONER, Jack – 2010-11
8. 8 – McGarry, Hunter – 2019
9. 6 – SHAW, Derek – 2007-09
6 – COLEMAN, Casey – 2006-08
Highest career fielding pct.
1. 1.000 – FIBBE, Paul (368-40-0) – 2007-08
1.000 – Coffers, Marc (125-5-0) – 2019
1.000 – GEBHART, Ryan (166-5-0) – 2012
1.000 – MASINO, Adam (124-12-0) – 2004
1.000 – BURNS, Kevin (50-2-0) – 2005
6. .997 – Brait, Alex (347-24-1) – 2019
7. .996 – ROBERTS, Brad (243-12-1) – 2009
8. .993 – CLEGHORN, Mike (278-13-2) – 2005-06
9. .992 – SMITH, Graig (1053-130-9) – 2005-08
10. .992 – MAXFIELD, Zach (1172-63-10) – 2009-11
WE’VE GOT YOUR SEAT
Experience FGCU Baseball and Softball this season. The following ticket opportunities are on sale now:
Group Sales
Bring your group of 15 or more to an FGCU Baseball or Softball game. All group tickets include your choice of concessions or an FGCU hat ($15 value), in-game group recognition and more. For more information on group outings, click HERE or call 239-590-7145.
Single Game Tickets
Single game tickets are available for all remaining home games. Adult tickets are $7 each. Discounted tickets are available for current or former Military and Youth ages 3-15 for just $5 each. Baseball and Softball Frequent Flyer Cards allow multiple entries for more than 50 percent off the adult rate. Choose 34 baseball entries for $105 or 17 softball entries for $55. Purchase online HERE or call 239-590-7145.