FORT MYERS, Fla. – Florida Gulf Coast scored five runs in the sixth inning on Saturday afternoon, allowing the Eagles to collect a 7-4 win over visiting Bethune-Cookman in non-conference baseball action at Swanson Stadium. The loss was the first of its kind on the year for the Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman, after the Cats started the year at 4-0.
 
Florida Gulf Coast (5-2) plated five runs in the home-half of the sixth inning to come from behind for the series-evening win.
 
With the Wildcats going to the bullpen for sophomore Tyler Krull with one out and a man aboard in the fifth, Eagles catcher Spencer Levine placed a run-scoring single down the left field line to score Marc Coffers who was hit by a Donté Lindsay pitch to start the FGCU at-bat. That run brought the Eagles to within 4-3, before Richie Garcia singled to load the bases with two outs. That sparked another pitching change for the Jason Beverlin led Wildcats, as he went for right-handed freshman TJ Densmore.
 
Densmore was quickly tagged for a two-run double down the line in right by first baseman Corey Fehribach to plate Levine and Eli Lovell, respectively, vaulting Florida Gulf Coast in front, 5-4.
 
The homestanding Eagles plated two more runs one batter later when centerfielder Gage Morey followed teammate Fehribach with a two-run scoring single down the right field line that produced the final score of 7-4.
 
Bethune-Cookman (4-1) jumped on the board first in the top-half of the opening frame.
 
Jameel Edney's double down the line in left allowed first baseman Danny Rodriguez to bring him in on a single to center field in the next at-bat.
 
FGCU answered with a pair of runs in the second inning, giving the Eagles their first lead of the weekend, 2-1.
 
Levine scored on the first wild pitch of the year from BCU starter Lindsay, while teammate Fehribach tallied the first of his game-high three RBIs with a single past the glove of second baseman Nate Sterijevski through the right side. That plated Garcia for the go-ahead score.
 
However, BCU would answer with a trio of runs in the top-half of the fifth inning, reclaiming the lead at 4-2.
 
Junior college transfer Jordan Stacy – coached a season ago by former BCU product Brad Frick at Florida State College of Jacksonville, scored on an error charged to Garcia at third, allowing sophomore Josten Heron to reach safely at first. After Sterijevski and Kyle Corbin each singled and stole a base, respectfully, Edney produced a sacrifice fly to deep centerfield, crossing Corbin for the score.
 
FGCU starter Kutter Crawford took the win to stay perfect at 2-0 on the bump for the year. He worked six complete innings, allowing four runs (two earned) on five hits, a walk and a season-high nine strikeouts. Sterling Koerner earned his first win of the year working the final frame and picking up a pair of strikeouts to boot.
 
Krull was credited with the loss, dropping him to 0-1 on the year. He went just 0.1 inning, allowing two runs on two hits and recorded one strikeout. Meanwhile, starter Lindsay failed to factor into the decision for the second consecutive game, as he worked 5.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on five hits, a walk and three strikeouts.
 
The FGCU offense was led by Fehribach with a 2-for-3 day at the dish, adding his three runs driven in and one run scored himself. Garcia and Levine each tallied multi-hit games as well, each going on to score two runs in the process.
 
The BCU offensive attack was sparked by Sterijevski with two hits in four plate appearances. He currently has back-to-back multiple hit games, and has hit safely in all five games on the year. Not to be left out were Danny Rodriguez, Corbin and Edney each running their respective hitting streak to five games as well.
 
In fact, Rodriguez is working on a 15-game hitting streak dating back to last season, while West Palm Beach native Edney is working on a 14-game hitting streak, respectfully. Including last year, Sterijevski has a 12-game hitting streak overall.
 
Bethune-Cookman and Florida Gulf Coast will meet in the rubber game of the series Sunday at 1 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast took the series against the Wildcats last year winning the Sunday rubber game in Daytona Beach.
 
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