FORT MYERS, Fla. — The red-hot Stetson Hatters opened their final regular-season series with authority on Thursday night, taking down FGCU 9-5 at Swanson Stadium to extend their winning streak to five games. With the victory, the Hatters improve to 37-17 overall and a dominant 24-4 in ASUN play, having now captured the opener in eight consecutive conference series.

Nelphie Lopez powered the Hatters offensively, going 2-for-5 with a pair of solo home runs, his third and fourth of the season, becoming the first Stetson player with a multi-homer game since Jordan Taylor's performance against Penn State. It also marked the team's first multi-homer outing since launching three long balls at Queens on April 18, a game in which Lopez also went deep.

The Hatters had contributions up and down the lineup, as five players recorded multiple hits. Isaiah Barkett extended his hit streak to 18 games with a two-hit effort, while Foster Apple and Landon Russell also collected a pair of knocks. Landon Moran added a two-run home run in the sixth to give Stetson breathing room, and Taylor and Lorenzo Meola chipped in with RBI singles to cap the scoring.

Stetson showed patience at the plate as well, drawing 10 walks to tie a season high. Danny Perez led the way with four free passes, and every Hatters batter reached base safely at least once.

On the mound, James Hays got the start and worked 4.2 innings with four strikeouts. Mason Davenport earned his first win of the year, delivering two scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Senior closer Ty Van Dyke was called upon to shut the door, striking out the only batter he faced to notch his eighth save of the season.

After falling behind 2-0 in the first, Lopez put Stetson on the board with a solo homer to right-center in the second. FGCU added another run, but Lopez responded again in the fourth with another solo shot to ignite a four-run frame, highlighted by an Eagles error, a balk, and heads-up baserunning.

Leading 5-3 in the sixth, Moran blasted a two-run shot to right, scoring Apple and stretching the lead. RBI hits from Meola and Taylor in the seventh pushed the advantage to 9-3. FGCU would score twice in the ninth, but the Hatters held firm to secure the victory.

Stetson and FGCU continue their series Friday afternoon at 2:00 PM in Fort Myers as the Hatters look to clinch their ninth ASUN series win.