Down to its final at bat, Florida Gulf Coast University rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth to earn a 2-1 win over Kennesaw State University at Stillwell Baseball Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia Saturday afternoon in game two of a doubleheader. The Eagles dropped game one of the the Atlantic Sun Conference series to KSU, 10-4.

Game Two: FGCU 2, KSU 1
A pitcher's duel went deep into the afternoon until the Eagles (11-11, 4-1 ASUN). Chase Kriebel worked seven innings, allowing just one run to the Owls on six hits. Nick Love worked a scoreless eighth inning, but it looked like Kriebel would be the hard-luck loser in the contest.

Instead, FGCU rallied back in the ninth. Jacob Lojewski led off with a high fly ball to right that got caught in the wind and eventually hit the wall. The swing would go for a triple and the Eagles would have the tying run in scoring position.

Robert Moya would battle to draw a walk on seven pitches to put runners on the corners. Instead of waiting to see a pitch after the walk, Javier Gorostola jumped on the first offering he saw and sent it through the left side of the infield to plate Lojewski with the equalizing run.

The Eagles were still in business with two men on and no one out in the inning. Harrison Povey would sacrifice himself, laying down a perfect bunt to move the runners over with just one out. Evan Dempsey, who had a game-winning hit Tuesday against USF, wasn't given the chance this time as he was walked intentionally to set up a force at every base. Derek Lopez stepped to the plate with the chance to drive in the go-ahead run. He wouldn't need to take his bat off his shoulder. The freshman drew a four-pitch walk to bring in the run that put FGCU ahead, 2-1.

Davian Garcia would step on the mound with a chance to ice the game. After a foul out, Garcia struck out the next batter looking for the second out. A single would give KSU the chance with the game-winning run at the plate. That would be the last hit KSU (12-10, 3-2 ASUN) would get against Garcia as a check swing on his 2-2 offering was rung up by the first base umpire as strike three, ending the game and giving the Eagles the win.

Love (3-1) picked up the win in relief, with Garcia earning his first save with the Eagles.

Game One: KSU 10, FGCU 4
The Eagles took the lead in the first inning as Moya singled home Lojewski with the game's first run. Kennesaw State would answer back with four runs on just one hit in the bottom of the inning thanks in large part to a single with the bases loaded and a two-base FGCU error.

Kennesaw State would stretch the lead up to five, 6-1, but the Eagles got one back when a throwing error on a double play attempt allowed Ian Farrow to score. The Eagles chipped deeper into the lead with two runs in the fourth. Charles Davalan reached on an error with two men in scoring position, allowing a run to score. A sacrifice fly by Farrow one batter later cut the deficit to two, 6-4.

That would be the last of the scoring for the Eagles. KSU scored one in the fourth and three in the fifth to pull away for the victory.

Justin Henschel (1-2) took the loss for the Eagles. Dalton Robinson worked 3.2 scoreless innings of relief in defeat.

The two teams will wrap up the series Sunday afternoon at 1. Read Full Article