Ft. Myers, Fla. – To say that Stetson University junior Logan Gilbert has a history against Florida Gulf Coast would be an understatement.
 
Gilbert, who struck out 18 Eagles in a 2-hit shutout last year, was not quite as good on Friday night at Swanson Stadium, but he was plenty good enough in leading the Hatters to a 4-2 series opening win.
 
With a park full of Major League scouts, Gilbert struck out 13 over 6.2 innings of work, allowing just two runs on four hits. The 13 strikeouts were significant in that Gilbert surpassed the Stetson single season record for Ks with the performance. He now has 134 strikeouts on the year, breaking the mark of 132 set in 2000 by Lenny DiNardo.
 
After breaking the record in the seventh inning, Gilbert reluctantly turned the ball over to senior Brooks Wilson, who closed out the win for his 18^th save of the year, tying the school and ASUN records set by Robbie Powell in 2012. Wilson is now all alone in the NCAA lead this year and is just six shy of the NCAA season record of 24 set by Dave Berg of UCLA in 2013.
 
The victory certainly did not come easily for the Hatters, who improved to 38-11 overall and 12-3 in ASUN play. Stetson left the bases loaded twice on the night and had just two run producing hits in the game.
 
FGCU (31-17, 7-9) starting pitcher Mario Leon (5-5) struggled in the first inning, allowing a run on three hits with a walk. The big blow in the frame came from Wilson, who narrowly missed a three-run homer to right, but the Eagles' Marc Coffers got just enough glove on the ball to keep it in the park, limiting Wilson to an RBI single.
 
After Eric Foggo loaded the bases with a bloop hit over first base, Leon got a strikeout and a fly out to get out of the inning.
 
The Eagles knotted the score in the second when Alex Brait led off with a solo homer to left.
 
That was where things stayed until the fifth when Kyle Ball and Andrew MacNeil opened with consecutive hits, with MacNeil's going for a double, to put two in scoring position. Jacob Koos plated Ball with a ground out and then MacNeil was able to scamper home on a passed ball for a 3-1 lead.
 
FGCU bounced right back again in the bottom of the inning. Gage Morey worked a two-out walk and then scored on a double to the wall in left-center that Koos appeared to have run down before he crashed into the wall, jarring the ball loose.
 
Gilbert got out of that inning without further damage.
 
Stetson had a chance to pad the lead in the seventh inning after MacNeil drew a leadoff walk and Mike Spooner followed with a single to chase Leon. Koos delivered a sacrifice bunt off reliever Parker Hamilton before Wilson drew a walk to load the bases, but Hamilton rallied with consecutive strikeouts to lead the three Hatters stranded.
 
Gilbert, who tied DiNardo's record with a pair of strikeouts to end the sixth, wasted no time in the seventh, striking out Eric Gonzalez to break the mark and then polishing off Christian Proffitt for good measure.
 
Coffers was able to get a two-out single to extend the inning and end Gilbert's night.
 
Wilson came on to get the final out in the seventh and then got a boost from his battery mate in the 8^th when Austin Hale blasted a solo home run to left. Wilson recorded a pair of strikeouts of his own over the last two innings in closing out the win.
 
Hale and Spooner led Stetson with two hits each in the game. Coffers and Brait had two each to lead the Eagles.
 
With heavy rain in the forecast for Sunday, the Hatters and Eagles have moved up Sunday's game and will play a double-header on Saturday. The opening game is scheduled for a 2 p.m. start with the nightcap to follow at 6 p.m.
 
Both games will be video streamed on Facebook Live.
 
About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program has a vision of developing a culture of champions athletically, academically and within the community. This vision is accomplished through a mission of recruiting and developing student-athletes, coaches and staff, creating a culture of champions, within and outside of competition. The department operates with five core values: Championship Culture, Integrity, Excellence, Pride/Tradition and Leadership. To learn more about the Vision, Mission and Core Values for Stetson Athletics, visit GoHatters.com and click on Mission Statement under the Inside Athletics tab.