Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast were named as co-champions of the ASUN in college baseball. However, neither team actually won the conference tournament so there was no true winner.
A controversial ruling by the Atlantic Sun Conference robbed deserving seniors of the opportunity to play for an NCAA Tournament bid.
The ASUN began its college baseball tournament on Tuesday at Melching Field at Conrad Park in DeLand, Florida. Not Monday. That was the first mistake. By playing Tuesday-Sunday, the conference did not give itself a buffer for weather and it proved costly for the lower seed.
Stetson reached the championship game with an undefeated run through the winner’s bracket. Florida Gulf Coast played its way to the championship game through the loser’s bracket after a walk-off loss to Stetson during the second round.
The Eagles would need to beat the Hatters twice to win the conference tournament. The Hatters would need to beat the Eagles just once.
First pitch of the championship game was scheduled for 12:05 p.m. ET on Sunday. That was the second mistake. Most radar models showed a threat of inclement weather during the afternoon. The ASUN chose not to move first pitch to the morning— just in case.
Thus, when the weather did arrive, there was no contingency plan if the rain and lightning was to continue throughout the rest of the afternoon and into the evening. It was a waiting game.
The ASUN Conference hung Florida Gulf Coast out to dry.
Florida Gulf Coast held a 6-5 lead in the top of the 7th inning when the initial weather delay went into effect at at 2:38 p.m. That would ultimately prove to be the final score. The game never resumed.
Play was set to get back underway at approximately 5:50 p.m. That plan was then foiled when lightning struck at 5:55 after the players had already returned to the field.
The waiting continued…
And continued…
And continued…
A decision was made not to play the three remaining innings at 9:53 p.m. Florida Gulf Coast was declared as the winner of the game and named as the co-champion of the ASUN Tournament but it did not get the chance to play the second game of the championship series. Stetson received the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Despite tremendous efforts, we were unable to complete the 2025 Atlantic Sun Conference Baseball Tournament due to inclement weather. Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) has been declared the winner of today’s first championship game and, with FGCU and Stetson University (Stetson) having a 1-1 record versus each other, both FGCU and Stetson will be recognized as 2025 ASUN Co-Tournament Champions. Per ASUN policy, Stetson University will be awarded our 2025 Automatic Qualifier. Congratulations to both teams for an outstanding season, and best wishes to the Hatters as they continue on.
— ASUN Commissioner Jeff Bacon
The Hatters will play for a national title. The Eagles will not.
Sunday could be used for makeup games if the ASUN played its tournament from Monday to Saturday instead of Tuesday to Sunday. At the very least, Labor Day served as a backup. Stetson and Florida Gulf Coast could’ve played on early Monday morning before the NCAA Tournament field is announced on Monday evening. I have seen it happen in the SEC. Why not here?
Or, if Monday morning was truly not an option, the ASUN should’ve returned to the field on late Sunday night and got it done. Both teams wanted to play. Rain delays are horrible but they would much rather wait it out and finish.
It’s a real shame. The Eagles were one win away from the NCAA Tournament. The Hatters get to play on even though they did not earn the bid as they were supposed to.