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Eagles post 7th straight win, 5-1

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Florida Gulf Coast University concludes its baseball season Thursday and Friday with a three-game road series in Spartanburg, S.C., against USC-Upstate.

If only the Eagles could keep this season going.

After clinching their first Atlantic Sun Conference title last Saturday with a sweep of East Tennessee State, the Eagles finished off their home slate with a 5-1 win over nonconference opponent Florida Atlantic Tuesday night at Swanson Stadium.

The Eagles (37-13, 24-6 A-Sun) won the conference title in their first season competing in Division I. They’ve won seven straight games and 12 of their last 13.

The Eagles, though, are not eligible for postseason play during their two-year Division I reclassifying period.

“This year, would’ve been an awesome year to keep playing,” said Eagles’ junior Casey Coleman, a Mariner High grad. “We played the No. 1 team in the nation (Miami) and played a good game against them. We have the pitching to compete. It would’ve been fun, but winning the conference is still a good thing.”

Outside of the Eagles’ dugout few thought that was possible when the season began.

Though the Eagles posted a 40-17 record last year, in their final season competing in Division II, they were selected 10th by the A-Sun Conference coaches entering this season.

They had success early, winning their first four games, including a 13-1 rout of Florida International, and have consistently improved throughout the season.

Along with winning the conference, the Eagles took both games from Florida Atlantic this season, won three of four from Florida International and held their own in a 2-1 loss to Florida and a 4-2 loss to top-ranked Miami.

“We really didn’t surprise ourselves at all,” said Mariner grad Josh Upchurch. “When the (conference rankings) came out they kind of just made everyone focus a little more. We knew then we had to go out and show it.”

Throughout the season, the Eagles have shown a lot, including a strong pitching staff from top to bottom.

Coleman, a 6-foot-2 right-hander, has posted a 6-3 record and hopes to be selected in the first five rounds of the Major League Draft in June. Another starter, Richard Bleier (7-0), is projected to go in the early rounds.

Against FAU Tuesday, it was freshman Craig Crumbly that got the start. He held the Owls (27-24-1) to one run in five innings, and Derek Shaw, J.J. Crumbley and Chris Sale slammed the door after that.

The Eagles got jumpstarted in the third when Vinnie Scarduzio hit a solo home run off Owls’ starter Nick Melendres. Scarduzio’s shot struck the foul pole in right and bounced back onto the field. It is his fourth homer in three games.

With the game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the sixth, Stephen Wickens smacked a one-out double for the Eagles. Upchurch followed with a walk, and Mikel Alvarez and Ozzie Borrell delivered RBI singles, putting the Eagles up 3-1.

The Owls threatened again in the top of the seventh. David Wilson and Alex Silversmith each singled, putting two on with one out, but Shaw struck out the final two batters of the inning.

The Eagles scored two more runs in the bottom of the eighth on Jason Peacock’s two-run single.

Florida Atlantic 000 000 000 — 1 8 1

Florida Gulf Coast 001 002 02x — 5 8 2

W — Jeff Shaw. L — Nick Melendres.

2B — Mike McKenna (FAU), Stephen Wickens (FGCU). HR — Vinnie Scarduzio (FGCU).