Myrtle Beach, S.C. – With a strong pitching performance and 12 hits as a team, the Gators (1-0) came away with a 3-1 win in their 2011 season-opener against Penn State-Abington on Friday night down in Myrtle Beach, S.C. as part of the 2011 Ripken Experience.

Senior Mike Pereslucha toed the rubber for the Gators in their season debut and pitched an absolute gem. Pereslucha, who returns this season after suffering a season-ending injury early last season, went 7.0 complete strong innings, did not allow a run to score, scattered four hits, and struck out a single-game career-high 11 batters. Pereslucha, one of the top hitters on the club as well, was one of five players to get two hits in the game. In their collegiate debuts, rookies Jon Boyd and Kyle Davis were among those five.

The Gators got on the board early in the game after sophomore Eric Hansen drew a hit-by-pitch in the bottom of the 1st. Hansen would then steal second base, and found himself on third base following a single by Ben Lowmaster. With two outs in the frame, Pereslucha would come through with an RBI-single to score Hansen from third base.

Sophomore Jeff Dassner had a very productive first game at the plate going 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, and two runs scored. His one-out double in the bottom of the sixth inning led to the second run of the night for the Gators. He would come around to score once more in the bottom of the eighth inning after leading off with a single.

Sophomore Frank Brank would come into the game in the eighth inning, in relief of Pereslucha, and shut the door to seal the win for the Gators. In his 2.0 innings of work, Brank struck out four, walked one, and gave up PS-Abington's lone run.

The Gators return to action in Myrtle Beach, S.C. on Saturday with a pair of games. The first one against Wilkes is scheduled for a 10:00 a.m. start and the latter game against Penn State-Berks is scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. first pitch