Box score
FORT MYERS, Fla. – Ricky Knapp showed why he was named the Atlantic Sun Conference Preseason Pitcher of the Year during Florida Gulf Coast University's 6-1 victory over the Northern Kentucky University baseball team on Friday at Swanson Stadium.
Knapp improved to 7-2 on the year with the win after only surrendering one run on five hits in eight innings of work. He recorded a career-high 12 strikeouts and walked three batters, and he limited NKU to just three hits over the first six frames.
FGCU (23-16 overall, 9-7 in the A-Sun) jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning after back-to-back singles allowed Mike Reeves, who drew a walk to lead off the inning, to score. The Eagles then extended their lead in the fourth on Brandon Bednar's two-run single up the middle for a 3-0 advantage.
NKU (8-33 overall, 3-13 in the A-Sun) reduced its deficit the following frame when
Logan Spurlin sent the first pitch of the inning over the left-field wall for his second homer of the season.
The Eagles added two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh to extend their lead, and the Norse were unable to answer.
Sean Dwyer went 2-for-3 with two walks, one run and one RBI for FGCU, while Brooks Beisner finished 3-for-5 with an RBI. Bednar and Alex Diaz each recorded two-hit days as well.
Zac Asman,
Brad Clement,
Josh Myers, Spurlin and
Pat Hyde each collected a hit for the Norse. Clement drew two walks to finish 1-for-2.
NKU and FGCU return to the field on Saturday at 2 p.m. Live stats will be available at NKUNorse.com.
