FORT MYERS, Fla. – Jacksonville University baseball could not hold an early lead, as #16 FGCU scored 12 unanswered runs over the final four innings to prevail 15-7 on Sunday afternoon.
The Dolphins (19-10, 5-4) dropped the series with the loss.
FGCU took the lead for good in the seventh. With the game tied at seven, the Eagles drew a leadoff walk, and dropped down a bunt single that stayed on the chalk line all the way down the third base line until it bumped into the bag. Another walk loaded the bases with no one out. A fly ball to center field just evaded the outstretched glove of a diving
Cam Ridley, plating the go-ahead run. The runner at first thought the ball was caught, so he tagged up, and the Dolphins got the first out due to two men occupying first. A sacrifice fly to left plated another, and, after an infield single put runners at first and second, a three-run homer made it 12-7.
The day had started well for JU, who used its patented two-out approach with great success again in the third inning to get on the board first.
Chase Malloy drew a two-out walk and
Justin Nadeau followed him by doing the same.
Kris Armstrong ripped a double down the right field line, plating both runners, and advanced to third on the throw to the plate.
Hogan McIntosh worked a walk to put runners at the corners and
Chandler Howard lifted a fly ball to left center that fell between three FGCU fielders for an RBI single.
Blake DeLamielleure drove in another on a double to right and, after
Colin Wetterau earned the fourth walk of the inning, the Eagles lifted their starter. A bases loaded walk to
Cam Ridley by the Eagles' reliever pushed across a fifth and final run of the inning.
After FGCU answered back in the bottom of the third, cutting the deficit to 5-3 thanks to a three-run homer, the Dolphins responded quickly in the top of the fourth. Malloy and Nadeau were walked again, this time to lead off the inning, and FGCU again made a pitching change. An infield single by Armstrong loaded the bases, and with one-out, Howard lifted another flyball, this time to shallow left, that fell in for another RBI single. DeLamielleure grounded out to plate a second run, but the inning ended after that with JU on top 7-3.
The Eagles began to chip away again in the fifth, hitting back-to-back solo homers to cut the JU lead to 7-5. In the sixth, a ten-pitch at-bat ended with a flare to left for a one-out double, immediately followed by a double to right to plate the runner at second. Consecutive singles scored another, before
Leighton Alley came in and got a ground out back to the mound to strand men at second and third and keep the game tied at seven.
JU got men into scoring position in the sixth, seventh and ninth, but were unable to muster any additional timely hits to drive them in. FGCU added three more in the eighth to build out the final margin.
ON DECK
Jacksonville ends its four-game road swing with a trip to Tallahassee on Tuesday to face Florida State at 6 p.m.
THREE STRIKES
- Blake DeLamielleure logged his second-straight multi-hit game, fourth three-hit game of the year and finished the series going 6-12 with two doubles and a pair of runs driven in
- Kris Armstrong had his team-leading 12th multi-RBI game of the season
- Chase Malloy drew his ASUN leading 26th and 27th walks of the season
