FGCU baseball blasts by Michigan in NCAA regional opener

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. The Florida Gulf Coast University baseball team advanced to the winner’s bracket of the regional tournament Friday with a 10-6 win over Michigan at North Carolina’s Boshamer Stadium.

The Eagles got off to a slow start after several mental mistakes allowed the Wolverines to seize a 3-0 lead through the top of the second.

But FGCU narrowed the lead 3-1 with a two-out RBI from Jake Smith to score Marc Coffers in the bottom of the inning.

The Eagles cut Michigan’s lead even more in the bottom of the fourth with a trio of singles from Smith, Elijah Lovell and Spencer Levine in the bottom of the fourth.

The Wolverines scored another run off an RBI single from Drew Lugbauer in the top of the fifth, but FGCU responded with a homer from Nick Rivera in the bottom of the inning, making it a 4-3 game.

Despite Michigan scoring another run in the top of the sixth, the Eagles gained momentum and scored five runs in the bottom of the inning.

FGCU then jumped ahead 8-5 with a three-run home run from Rivera.

The Wolverines manufactured another run in the top of the seventh, closing the Eagles’ lead 8-6.

But it would be their last run, as Rivera slammed a third homer in the bottom of the eighth, scoring two runs and sealing the Eagles’ 10-6 victory.

FGCU will face Davidson College Saturday at 6 p.m.

 

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