DeLAND, Fla. – Tyler Herb, Jon Embury and Jaret Nelson each drove in three runs as Florida Gulf Coast University stayed alive in the Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Championship with a 12-5 win over the University of Central Arkansas on Friday afternoon at Melching Field.

The Eagles (28-29) trailed 4-0 after the top of the first but responded with three two-out runs in the bottom half. With the bases loaded, Cayden Hessemyer drew a walk to bring in FGCU's first run. Herb followed with a two-run single through the right side to cut the deficit to one.

Harrison Povey led off the third with a double, advanced to third on a passed ball, and scored on Herb's groundout to second, tying the game at 4.

The Eagles broke it open in the fourth, sending 11 batters to the plate and scoring seven runs. Nelson doubled to right-center to drive in two and give FGCU a 6-4 lead. Robert Moya added an RBI single, and Hessemyer walked for the third time to load the bases. Embury cleared them with a three-run double down the third-base line. Jake McKee capped the inning with an RBI single up the middle to make it 11-4.

UCA (20-35) added a run in the fifth, but FGCU's bullpen duo of Preston Rogers (2-0) and Jordan Vera shut down the Bears over the final eight innings. The pair allowed just six hits, with Vera earning the save after pitching the final four innings. Nelson added a solo home run in the seventh to close the scoring.

FGCU tallied 17 hits, with McKee, Evan Dempsey, Nelson and Moya each collecting three. Hessemyer walked four times, tying for the third-most in program history. Every starter reached base at least once.

The Eagles advance to face Jacksonville University at noon Saturday. The winner will meet the loser of Friday night's winner's bracket finale between Stetson and Austin Peay.