FORT MYERS, Fla. – Rutgers baseball built a five-run lead in the sixth inning, but No. 27 Florida Gulf Coast rallied back to salvage the series finale, 9-8, Sunday at Swanson Stadium. The Scarlet Knights had won their previous six games.
 
RU finished its spring break trip with a 6-1 record, winning weekend series over Army and FGCU, along with a midweek triumph over FIU. It tied the 2010 (6-2) and 1987 (6-3) trips for the most wins over a spring break. In addition, Rutgers won six-straight contests away from home for the first time since 2003.
 
On Sunday, the lineup produced 10 more hits to help bring the total to 64 runs on the trip, with at least five in each outing. Fifth-year senior Chris Folinusz went 3-for-5 with two runs and two RBIs, while junior Carmen Sclafani added two singles and both sophomore Kevin Welsh and junior Luke Bowerbank knocked in a pair.
 
Freshman Eric Heatter left with the lead for the third time in as many starts after striking out seven and walking none in six innings of work. The left-hander permitted three runs in the no-decision and has 23 strikeouts in 23 innings on the mound this season.
 
The Scarlet Knights (11-7) scored first for the ninth-straight game with one in the second inning. Folinusz struck his first hit to lead off and stole second with one out. After an error, the first baseman came home on a Welsh RBI grounder. The Eagles (14-5) answered with a three-run homer with two outs from Spencer Levine to take a 3-1 advantage after two.
 
Heatter settled in from there to pitch three consecutive scoreless frames to allow the offense to make a comeback. That took place in the top of the sixth with seven scoring runs crossing on seven hits, as 12 batters stepped to the plate.
 
Junior Nick Matera, Folinusz and senior Kyle Walker started it off with singles to load the bases with no outs. Sclafani then moved everyone up with a single of his own, with Welsh then reaching on error for another RBI that evened the game. Keeping it going, junior Luke Bowerbank roped a two-run single to right field to put RU on top. A wild pitch followed and redshirt freshman Dan DiGeorgio added another on a single to center. Three batters later with two outs, Folinusz capped it off with a two-run single that made it 8-3.
 
Heatter stranded two in the bottom of the frame to maintain the advantage. However, Florida Gulf Coast used an RBI walk, a three-run double and a two-out error against the bullpen to knot the game at eight after seven innings. The home team would then score the winning run on a throwing error with two outs in the bottom of the ninth. Graduate student Karl Blum (0-2) was charged with the loss despite not permitting an earned run in 1.2 innings of relief. Kenton Hering (4-1) took the win for FGCU.
 
The Scarlet Knights will next fly home to New Jersey and travel to Rider on Wednesday for a 3:30 p.m. game. Big Ten play starts Friday at Bainton Field against Penn State.
 
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