FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball battled FGCU before succumbing to a big inning late to drop the rubber match 11-3 at Swanson Stadium on Sunday.
 
The Dolphins (12-10, 1-5) led early, and were pushing the Eagles late until they separated with a six-run seventh inning to take the series.
 
The game started with JU drawing first blood for the third straight game. Chase Malloy led off with a double down the leftfield line, Jonah Diaz bunted him over and Christian Coipel scored him with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0.
 
The next several innings were defined by missed opportunities for both teams. Jackson Grabsky and Blake DeLamielleure led off the second with consecutive singles, but JU was unable to get a run. In the bottom half, Christian Graham escaped a bases loaded jam to keep the Dolphins in front.
 
In the bottom of the third, FGCU again loaded the bases, and a hit batsman tied the game at one, but Graham struck out the side to end the threat.
 
A leadoff single by Jesus Pacheco was all JU could muster in the fourth, and the bottom half started with an error in right and a walk, which sparked a pitching change. An RBI single, sacrifice fly and two-run home run helped FGCU take a 5-1 lead after four.
 
With two outs in the top of the sixth, Pacheco reached on a throwing error which gave JU some life. Grabsky followed with a single and DeLamielleure was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Trace Burchard drew a walk to drive in one run and Ethan Campbell beat out an infield single to short to score another, and the Dolphins drew within two, 5-3.
 
After holding the Eagles scoreless in the sixth, again JU knocked on the door in the seventh. Diaz singled with one-out, Pacheco followed with a base knock with two-outs and Grabsky singled to short to load the bases. A flyout to deep center ended the threat, and FGCU waste no time in separating, hitting three home runs as part of six hits to score six runs to build the final margin.
 
ON DECK
 
Jacksonville heads west to Tallahassee on Tuesday for a midweek game at Florida A&M. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m.
 
THREE STRIKES
 

• Jonah Diaz extended his hit streak to 16 games and his on-base streak to 19 games
• Jackson Grabsky collected his second career four-hit game, the third by a Dolphin this season. He finished the weekend with nine hits in 14 at-bats
• Christian Coipel has an RBI in three straight games and in seven out of his last eight games