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TAMPA — There were tears and hugs around the visitors' dugout at the University of Tampa following Florida Gulf Coast University's 5-3 loss against third-ranked and third-seeded Catawba (N.C.) College Saturday night.

But the Eagles' season hardly was a crying shame.

An old-school tough-guy from Punta Gorda who is 152-69 at FGCU, coach Dave Tollett shielded his eyes with shades and his voice quivered as he spoke of losing six seniors following the Eagles' elimination from their first-ever NCAA Division II tournament.

Tollett said goodbye to All-America third baseman Jason Louwsma, pitcher Ryan Williams, designated hitter Ian Manson, pitcher Troy Beall, infielder Chris Perry and infielder Mike Matthews. FGCU won a pair of games against Lynn and Catawba (N.C) before falling to top-ranked Tampa and Catawba on Saturday.

In retrospect, Tollett will relish this season in which his team went 41-17 and into the South Regional for the first time in his program's four-year history and in only its second season of eligibility. Before this campaign began, Tollett spoke of the need to hang with the likes of Tampa and defending national champ Florida Southern, Sunshine State Conference teams that would not schedule the Eagles in the past, in order to net national respect.

Ryan K. Morris/Special to the Daily News

Graig Smith scores on Casey Coleman's single to center during the eighth inning of Saturday's 12-5 loss to Tampa in the Division II regional tournament.

Mission accomplished.

FGCU, which ended the regular season ranked 29th by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and won 30 South Region games, won one of three home games vs. the top-ranked Spartans, and beat the Mocs two of three at Swanson Stadium.

In March, FGCU suffered a slew of major-league injuries, including tendonitis problems in the throwing shoulder of junior ace Chris Hassen, who made only spot appearances after that and did not play in the regional.

Despite all that, the Eagles managed to make it to the University of Tampa regional setting, where they beat Lynn University, 7-5, and Catawba, 10-7, in their first two games before losing to Tampa, 12-5, and Catawba, 5-3, Saturday night.

"That string when we were down guys, it was tough, but it goes back to Louwsma, Manson and those guys, they just kept playin' and playin' and playin'," Tollett said. "Like I told them, I said, 'Every time someone scores, you score back.' We got through, we made it through. We almost willed our way here. Then we got healthy and started playing better. But we lost a lot of time and a lot of momentum when those kids were down because we were clicking pretty well.

"I thought we were in the ballgame with Tampa. I don't think they beat us. If we just went out there and got beat, I'd be able to tip my hat. But it will be a long offseason for us because I know we can play with those guys."

So do his returnees, featuring three freshman (centerfielder Josh Upchurch, second baseman/closer Casey Coleman and shortstop Patrick Garrido) and three sophomore (first baseman Mike Cleghorn, left fielder Shawn Griffin and catcher Graig Smith) starters.

"We've got a great foundation," Tollett said. "For those guys, playing in a pressure situation, I thought they did a great job. Now we've got our feet wet. We've got six starters coming back and we've got a good recruting class.

"The last thing I told 'em, I said, 'The regional's not our goal and it's not going to be our goal next year. It should be expected.' They expected to be here, I expected to be here, and we expected to go a little further.

"Hopefully those six will be as hungry as we are, and I think they will."

Tollett's program scored during a season in which it got its first swings at D-II big-timers. Next season will be its last in Division II before taking its first swings in Division I's Atlantic Sun Conference.

That seems like an entirely different universe. While recruiting to the far future, Tollett's plans are geared toward another D-II regional run with a longer flight plan.

Late Saturday night, though, Tollett still was trying to take it all in.

"Mission accomplished," Tollett said. "We just haven't gotten back yet. It's like we got to the moon and we haven't gotten back from the moon yet."