FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball rallied on the road to keep its win streak alive by toppling another ranked opponent on Friday night.
 
The Dolphins (19-8, 5-2) erased an early two-run deficit and won 4-2 over #16 FGCU at Swanson Stadium, pushing its win streak to six.
 
The key throughout the night was timely pitching and hitting. JU limited the potent FGCU lineup to runs in just one inning, and stranded the bases loaded without allowing a run multiple times. On offense, the Dolphins scored all four runs with two-outs.
 
The Eagles drew first blood, getting to Evan Chrest in the second. A leadoff single was followed by a run-scoring single with one out, after the batter was ruled to have held up on two close check swings. An error in center allowed him to advance into scoring position, and after a walk, another RBI single made it 2-0 FGCU. A walk with two outs loaded the bases, but Chrest got a big flyout to left to end the threat.
 
He settled in after that, sitting down the Eagles in order in the third and fourth innings.
 
After threatening early and then falling into a rhythm of going down in order, the offense broke out in the fifth. After two quick outs, Elias Flowers stepped up and belted an opposite field triple past the diving left fielder. One pitch later, Chase Malloy crushed his sixth homer of the year over the left-centerfield wall to tie the game at two. Justin Nadeau followed with a double to left center and Kris Armstrong was intentionally walked, but the two-out rally ended there.
 
JU took the lead for good in the sixth by being opportunistic. Chandler Howard ripped a grounder to first with two outs, but it was misplayed and he reached on the error. He then stole second and Cam Ridley delivered him with a single to center to put JU in front 3-2.
 
Chrest and the Dolphins defense rose to the occasion in both the fifth and sixth innings. The leadoff man walked in the fifth and was followed by a single to put two one with no one out. After a strikeout, a hard grounder to third turned into an inning-ending double play. Once again, the first batter reached in the sixth, singling to left. After a popup to second, a hard liner to short was caught and the runner was doubled off first to end the frame.
 
After a one-out walk in the seventh, Chrest was relieved by Bryce Fisher. A hot shot to first got past Hogan McIntosh and put runners at the corners. A walk then loaded the bases for FGCU for the second time on the night. Fisher bore down, getting an infield fly popup to second and then a groundball to second to keep the Eagles off the board again, which was the last true threat of the night.
 
JU added insurance in the ninth, once more with two-outs. Malloy worked the count full and drew a walk and Nadeau followed him by doing the same. Armstrong slashed a single to the left side to plate the fourth and final run.
 
Fisher fanned two in a perfect eighth and Chris Lotito locked it down with two strikeouts of his own in a 1-2-3 ninth.
 
COACH'S COMMENTS
 

"They've prepared since they've been on campus to perform in these moments and the group overall doesn't panic. No matter what is going on, the guys are still going to continue to fight until that last out is made and you saw that tonight."

-Head Coach Chris Hayes

 
ON DECK
 
Jacksonville goes for the series win tomorrow afternoon, with first pitch vs. #16 FGCU set for 2 p.m. at Swanson Stadium.
 
THREE STRIKES
 

• Jacksonville won its third game over a ranked team this season, and its 15th in the six-plus years under Head Coach Chris Hayes
• Chris Lotito registered his ASUN leading seventh save of the season
• JU has won every series-opening game so far this season