Final Score: Lipscomb: 12, FGCU: 6
Location: DeLand, Fla. (Melching Field at Conrad Park) 
Records: Lipscomb: (36-24, 23-7 ASUN), FGCU (42-18, 20-10 ASUN)

HOW IT HAPPENED 

Alex Vergara tied a Championship Final record of three home runs as baseball took down FGCU Sunday afternoon in the ASUN Conference Baseball Championship Final, 12-6, to claim the program's third league banner and first since 2015. The Bisons started the year 5-13 but continued to battle, finishing 29-11 including a regular season and tournament title, to punch their ticket to a regional next week. 

Lipscomb struck first in the ASUN Championship Final for an early 1-0 lead after one frame. Mason Lundgrin launched his fourth homer of the season to put the Bisons in front early.

The Bisons put a three-spot up in the second to continue their hot start, beginning with a bunt single by Parks Bouck, who advanced to second on a throwing error, and then a grounder moved him to third. Will Lee followed with a single up the middle to plate the Bisons' second run of the day.

Moments later, Caleb Ketchup connected on his 16th big fly of the season, giving the Bisons a 4-0 lead over the Eagles. Then, Alex Vergara went yard for the first time, to put Lipscomb in front 5-0 to cap off and electric start for the top seed. 

FGCU got three runs back, in the top of the third, with a single, walk, and a homer by conference Player of the Year Edrick Felix, but the bats stayed hot for the Bisons, as they answered with two more runs in the bottom half. 

Trace Willhoite started the frame with a double down the left-field line, followed by a single from Austin Kelly to put runners at the corners with no outs. Jake Berg came through with a double to right center to score both the runners on base, increasing the Bisons' lead to four runs. 

Lipscomb tallied another run their next time up as Vergara belted his second-yard ball of the afternoon, but he wasn't done yet. After a sac fly to center field by Lee, which scored Berg from third, Vergara tallied his third bomb of the afternoon; this time, a three-run shot, extending their lead to eight runs.

FGCU would not go away quietly, erupting for three runs in the sixth with two long balls to left field. But, the Bisons' bullpen put on a masterclass, holding the high powered Eagles offense scoreless in the final three frames to claim the program's third ASUN tournament title and an auto-bid to an NCAA regional next week. 

Michael Dunkelberger got the start on the bump and earned the win, his third of the year. Alex Brewer, Patrick Williams, and Ethan Smith threw a combined two and a third innings with three strikeouts and no runs given up to seal the deal, and put yet another trophy in Allen Arena. 

HERD NOTES:

• Alex Vergara tied the single-game record for home runs in ASUN Championship history with three home runs en route to being named the tournament's MVP. Vergara went 3-for-4 with five RBI and three bombs. 
• Ketchup, Vergara, Lundgrin, Willhoite, and Kelly all earned all-tournament honors. 
• Lipscomb hit ten homers as a team in DeLand and tallied 16 hits which tied a season-high in the championship final. 

UP NEXT
Lipscomb advances to the 2023 NCAA Baseball Championship with the field of 64 teams that compete for the title being announced on ESPN2 at 11 a.m. CT on Monday, May 29.