FORT MYERS, Fla. – Despite getting a great start from senior Mason Studstill (Titusville, Fla./Rockledge HS/Miami/Eastern Florida State), the FGCU baseball team (3-2) lost the Friday night battle with Kansas (3-1), 5-3, at Swanson Stadium. The contest kicked off the four-game series that the teams will play over the course of the weekend, marking the first time that the Eagles have hosted a Big 12 opponent.

Studstill pitched his second quality start in as many appearances this season, finishing his night with 6.1 IP, six hits, three earned runs and five strikeouts.

Prior to the game, Director of Athletics Ken Kavanagh and head coach Dave Tollett recognized former Eagles Chris & Brianne Sale for their generous, $1 million gift which resulted in the installation of the brand-new Daktronics videoboard out in right center field. The ceremony celebrated both the seven-time MLB All Star's FGCU and professional careers.

"Tonight was a war," Tollett said. "Friday nights always are. I thought Mason was really good and he had some quality pitches. He came off short rest, just six days, but I think he prepared well. His preparation was as good as any he's had in his career here, so I'm really happy with that. I thought he pitched well enough to win."

Both teams got on the board fairly early in the game, despite strong starts from each side's pitcher. Kansas tagged up a run in the top of the first, but the visiting team was unable to maintain the advantage for long as sophomore Joe Kinker (North Port, Fla./Venice HS) came across in the second and knotted things up at 1-1.

In their next time up to bat, the Eagles were able to take the lead thanks to a home run off the bat of freshman Jacob Lojewski (West Palm Beach, Fla./American Heritage Delray). The shot, which was the first of the freshman's career, put the Eagles on top 2-1.

Over the next three innings, Studstill kept the Jayhawks' offense in check, allowing just one baserunner during the span. FGCU had a few good chances to score, especially in the bottom of the sixth when senior Marc Coffers' (Naples, Fla./Barron Collier HS) double put runners on second and third, but the team was unable to capitalize.

After struggling against Studstill, Kansas loaded up the bases in the top of the seventh and ended the starting arm's day. The senior handed the ball over to freshman Chase Chatman (Cape Coral, Fla./Island Coast HS), who allowed two of the inherited runners to score. Though the Eagles tried to minimize the damage and made another pitching change, this time opting for junior Joey Mugavero (Estero, Fla./Estero HS/Florida Southwestern State), the Jayhawks ultimately finished the frame with a three-spot and took a 4-2 lead. That was the only inning that Mugavero appeared in, as senior Hunter McGarry (Bradenton, Fla./Bradenton Christian School/State College of Florida-Manatee) took over the mound in the next frame.

FGCU had its best chance for a rally in the bottom of the eighth when the team was able to load up the bases with zero outs on the board. Senior Richie Garcia (Davie, Fla./West Broward HS) led off the inning with a walk and was quickly advanced by Kinker's double. Coffers then became the third Eagle to reach when he drew the second walk of the frame. While Garcia was able to come in on a wild pitch, the lineup was unable to plate the other two runners.

Kansas tacked on one final insurance run in the top of the ninth, boosting the team to its final 5-3 margin. Though the team threatened to extend its edge further, McGarry responded with a strikeout to end the frame. In their half of the inning, the Eagles were able to get one runner on, but got nothing else going. Chatman (0-1) was tagged with the loss, his first of the season.

The teams will meet at 6 p.m. tomorrow at Swanson Stadium for game two of the weekend series. For further details regarding the pink out game, click HERE.

For complete coverage of FGCU baseball, follow the Eagles on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @FGCU_Baseball and online at www.FGCUAthletics.com. You can also sign up to have news on FGCU baseball or other programs delivered directly to your inbox by visiting www.fgcuathletics.com/email.

COACH TOLLETT
FGCU coach Dave Tollett currently owns a 610-367-3 overall record (.624) and a 199-109 (.646) record in the ASUN. He is the only head coach in the program's history and led the program to its first trip to the NCAA Tournament in 2017. He is a five-time ASUN Coach of the Year and has guided the Green and Blue to five ASUN Regular Season Championships and one ASUN Tournament Championship. His team has been ranked nationally on several occasions, including as high as No. 9 in the country in 2017, and has coached 54 all-conference selections, 33 draft picks, three current major leaguers, 13 current minor leaguers, four ASUN Pitchers of the Year, four All-Americans, three ASUN Players of the Year, one National Freshman Player of the Year, one National Player of the Year and one seven-time MLB All-Star.

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ABOUT FGCU
FGCU teams have combined to win an incredible 83 conference regular season and tournament titles in just 13 seasons at the Division I level. Additionally, in just nine seasons of D-I postseason eligibility, the Eagles have had a combined 38 teams or individuals compete in NCAA championships. Seven FGCU programs have earned a top-25 national ranking in their respective sport – including women's basketball (No. 24, 2019-20) and both men's soccer (2018, 2019) and women's soccer (2018) as three of the most recent. In 2016-17, the Green and Blue posted a department-best sixth-place finish in the DI-AAA Learfield Directors' Cup and top-100 showing nationally, ahead of several Power-5 and FBS institutions. In 2018-19, the Eagles had an ASUN and state of Florida best seven teams earn the NCAA's Public Recognition Award for their Academic Progress Rate (APR) in their sport and have had the highest percentage of teams so honored from these two groups over each of the past three years. FGCU also collectively earned a record 3.46 GPA in the classroom in the spring 2020 semester and has outperformed the general University undergraduate population for 22 consecutive semesters. The 2019 Fall and 2020 Spring semesters each saw another milestone reached as all 15 programs achieved a 3.0-or-higher team GPA. The Eagles also served an all-time high 7,200 volunteer hours in 2017 – being recognized as one of two runners-up for the inaugural NACDA Community Service Award presented by the Fiesta Bowl.
 
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