University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
3-1
Florida Gulf Coast University
4-0
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: Pocol, Ashton (1-0)
L: Jaenke, Brandon (0-1)
Batting:
HR: Neels, Weber 1 ; Martin, Jameson 1
RBI: Allen, Ty 1 ; Lippe, Michael 1 ; Neels, Weber 2 ; Martin, Jameson 1
SH: Lippe, Michael 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Richter, Easton 1 ; Neels, Weber 1 ; Sutherland, Charlie 1 ; Spanier, Jack 1 ; Martin, Jameson 1
SB: Spanier, Jack 1
CS: Sutherland, Charlie 1
HBP: Sutherland, Charlie 1
Batting:
2B: Nelson, Jaret 1 ; Embury, Jon 1
3B: Herb, Tyler 1 ; Comer, Jeremy 1
RBI: Gonzalez, Wilfred 1 ; Gorostola, Javier 1 ; Hessemyer, Cayden 1 ; Comer, Jeremy 1 ; Embury, Jon 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Hessemyer, Cayden 1 ; Herb, Tyler 1 ; Dempsey, Evan 1 ; Comer, Jeremy 1 ; Nelson, Jaret 1 ; Embury, Jon 1
CS: Dempsey, Evan 1
HBP: Hessemyer, Cayden 1 ; Herb, Tyler 1
Game Leaders
Players Mentioned
Gopher Comeback Comes Up Short in the Ninth, Falls to FGCU 6-5
2/18/2026 11:13:00 PM | Baseball
FORT MYERS, FLA. – The University of Minnesota baseball team played their first of a four game road trip in the Sunshine State tonight, falling short to Florida Gulf Coast University 6-5 in the ninth inning at Swanson Stadium.
Brandon Jaenke was credited with the loss on the mound for Minnesota. Luke Ryerse was a bright spot out of the bullpen, going one shutout inning while striking out one.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After falling to an early deficit in the second, Jameson Martin launched a solo home run in the top of the third to get the Gophers on the board and tie up the game.
Another RBI single in the fifth brought the Eagles back into the lead, until Weber Neels sent a no-doubter of a two run home run over the right field wall in the top of the sixth to give Minnesota their first lead of the night at 3-2.
FGCU responded in the seventh and eighth, stringing together a trio of RBI hits to push the Gophers back into a deficit entering the final frame of the night.
Ty Allen got the Gopher rally going in the top of the inning, hopping an RBI single over the first baseman to close the gap by one.
Michael Lippe got in on the action, laying down a sacrifice bunt to score Charlie Sutherland and tying the game 5-5 before the end of the side.
The Eagles would go on to spoil the comeback, scoring on a throwing error to close it out in the bottom of the ninth.
GAME NOTES
» Minnesota's highest scoring inning was the ninth, when it pushed two runs across.
» Minnesota went 2-for-6 (.333) with runners in scoring position.
» Minnesota pitchers faced 43 FGCU hitters in the game, allowing seven ground balls and seven fly balls while striking out 10.
» Weber Neels led the Golden Gophers at the plate, going 1 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs.