FORT MYERS, Fla.- Six masterful innings from Wildcat starter Daniel Gaviria were the difference as the Wildcats escaped Fort Myers with a win in the series finale, Sunday afternoon at Swanson Stadium.
 


The early innings flew by as the Wildcats (4-3, 0-0 SWAC) and Eagles  (2-5, 0-0 ASUN) scattered seven hits apiece through the first five innings. 

FGCU stranded multiple runners in both the first and the second, but could not scrape anything across. 

B-CU's best early threat came in the second as Jorge Gonzalez singled, followed by Jose Rodriguez reaching on a throwing error. One batter later, however, a fly ball into center turned into a double play as Gonzalez was tagged out trying to retreat to second after the catch.

B-CU finally broke the stalemate in the sixth after chasing FGCU starter, Chase Kreibel. Daniel Figueroa legged out an infield single and stole second, setting up Garrett Chun for the RBI on a single to right center that made it 1-0. 

The Wildcats struck for three more in the eighth off another Eagle reliever. After two outs to open the inning, Chun and Sergio Rivera singled, followed by a Jorge Gonzalez Febo RBI to make it 2-0. Manny Souffrain was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Gonzalez made FGCU pay with a single to center, scoring Gonzalez Febo and Rivera to give the Cats a 4-0 cushion. 

FGCU took one back in the eighth off the B-CU bullpen on a single, wild pitch, and RBI double from Ian Farrow to make it 4-1. 

The Wildcats pushed the lead back up to four in the top of the ninth as Irvin Escobar scored Jayme Villafane on a pinch-hit single to close out a 5-1 win.

Daniel Gaviria was masterful in the start, ln six innings, he allowed only four hits and a walk, striking out six in the win. 

Dylan Vega and Pablo Torres finished things up out of the pen for the WIldcats, allowing a combined one run on three hits with two walks and a strikeout over the remaining three innings.

• Chun, Rivera, and Gonzalez each enjoyed multi-hit games for the Wildcats.
• Escobar and Gonzalez Febo each exit the weekend riding four-game hit streaks. 
• Sergio Rivera has reached base in all seven games to start the season. He leads the Wildcats in batting average (.391). 

The Wildcats will stay in the Sunshine State for another midweek contest as they travel to Gainesville to take on #4 Florida, Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 6:30 p.m.

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