Lou Iannotti Tallies Four Hits as QU Baseball Falls to Florida Gulf Coast, 8-4

Friday, March 11

Fort Myers, Florida

6:30 PM

Quinnipiac University

4-5

Florida Gulf Coast

5-8

Quinnipiac

Florida Gulf Coast

Lou Iannotti Tallies Four Hits as QU Baseball Falls to Florida Gulf Coast, 8-4

3/11/2016 10:41:00 PM | Baseball

Box Score

By: QU Sports Information

FORT MYERS, Florida – The Quinnipiac baseball team had three players pick up three or more hits but the Bobcats offensive output fell short as they fell to the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles, 8-4, Friday night at Swanson Stadium.

Quinnipiac nearly doubled Florida Gulf Coast's hit total on Friday, outhitting the Eagles, 14-8. With the loss, the Bobcats fall to 4-5 on the season while the Eagles improve to 5-8 with the victory.

Lou Iannotti (North Haven, Connecticut) recorded a game-high four hits as the Bobcats' catcher went 4 for 5 with two doubles and two RBI in his fourth multiple-hit game of the season. Iannotti's four hits are the most he has recorded in a single game, besting his previous career-high of three hits which he last accomplished on May 16, 2015 against NJIT. Iannotti also extended his hitting streak to nine games with the win.

Brian Moskey (Higganum, Connecticut) had his best game of the season, going 3 for 5 with a pair of doubles and a run scored. Ryan Nelson (Knoxville, Tennessee) also tallied his first three-hit game of the weekend as he went 3 for 4 with a hit by pitch to reach base four times.

Matthew Batten (Shelton, Connecticut) picked up the fourth multiple-hit game of the night for the Bobcats with a 2 for 5 showing at the plate with a run scored.

Despite a hitless game, Rob Pescitelli (West Islip, New York) extended his on-base streak to nine games to open up the season with a pair of walks, two runs and one RBI.

Thomas Jankins (West Brookfield, Massachusetts) struck out eight batters for the second consecutive game as the Bobcats as the Bobcats starting pitcher tossed a season-high 6 2/3 innings. Jankins now leads the Bobcats with 21 strikeouts on the season.

The Bobcats jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning with their ninth first inning run of the season. Batten led off the game with a single to left field. On the very next pitch, Moskey roped a double to left field to put a pair of runners in scoring position. Pescitelli followed up Moskey's double with a RBI groundout to second, scoring Batten.

Two innings later, Quinnipiac added another run to take a 2-0 lead over Florida Gulf Coast. Moskey led off the top of the third with a bunt single before Pescitelli reached on a fielder's choice. Iannotti pulled a 1-1 single through the right side of the infield to put runners on the corner. Burns reached first on a RBI groundout that scored Pescitelli.

The Eagles got four runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning to take a 4-2 lead as they sent nine batters to the plate. Florida Gulf Coast's Jake Noll hit a two-RBI, bases loaded double to right centerfield that scored Corey Fehribach and Gage Morey. After a strikeout, Colton Bottomley reached on a RBI infield single to score Roberts. After another strikeout by Jankins, Tyler Selesky reached on an error by Batten to score Noll.

Iannotti got a run back in the top of the seventh inning to bring the Bobcats within a run at 4-3. Moskey roped a double to left field to lead off the inning followed by Pescitelli's five-pitch walk. The Eagles went to the bullpen, replacing starting pitcher Sterling Koerner for reliever Christian Townsend. Iannotti welcomed Townsend to the game with a 1-2 double down the right field line, scoring Moskey from second base.

Florida Gulf Coast scored once again in the bottom of the seventh inning to take a 5-3 lead. Noll led off with a first-pitch single to left field, advanced to second on a while pitch and moved up to third on a Matt Reardon ground out. Bottomley followed with a one-out single to left field, scoring Noll.

The Eagles added three more runs in the bottom of the eighth inning after Noll launched a three-run home run to left centerfield to give the Eagles an 8-3 lead.
Quinnipiac attempted a comeback in the top of the ninth inning but managed just one run. Pescitelli drew a one-out walk before Iannotti doubled down the right field to score Pescitelli all the way from first base.

The Bobcats and Eagles return to action Saturday afternoon with a doubleheader at Swanson Stadium beginning at 1 PM. Game two of the doubleheader will start 30 minutes after the completion of the first game.