Box Score BABSON PARK, Fla. – Last night's game was the situation every baseball player dreams about. Cristian Rivera approached the plate with 2-outs and bases loaded with the Warriors trailing 7-6. Rivera punched a ball of the wall in left field that sent 2-runs in to complete the Walk-Off comeback.


GAME NOTES: Warriors Walk-Off, Coleman Improves To 4-0, Rivera Delivers 29^th Win For Warriors

The way the game started I don't think anyone could have predicted the outcome. A few errors in the top of the 1^st inning allowed the Tritons to jump out on top of the Warriors 2-0. A Connor Clayton double in the bottom of the 1^st however cut the lead in half as he scored Matt Piatt. The Tritons in the top of the 2^nd flexed their muscles as Justin Glover sent a towering solo shot over the wall in right field. That was not an easy feat last night as the wind was howling in from center field the entire game. The Warriors answered in the bottom of the 3^rd when Jesse Coleman shot a single back up the middle that scored Matt Piatt and advanced Connor Clayton to 3^rd base. A wild pitch from the Tritons allowed Clayton to scored and that tied the game 3-3. Breaking the tie in the top of the 5^th, the Tritons pushed 1-run across with a base hit. The Warriors would again tie it up in the bottom of the 6^th with a Manny Rodriguez ground ball that scored Napo Ballestero. The game got rough and seemed to have possibly been pushed out of reach for the Warriors as the Tritons found a way to score 3-runs in the top of the 8^th taking a 7-4 lead. The Tritons were able to hold the Warriors to just 1-run in the bottom of the 8^th with an RBI fielder's choice for Manny Rodriguez that scored Tanner Williams. Jesse Coleman pitched a scoreless top of the 9^th setting up the Warriors with the opportunity to fight back in the bottom of the 9^th. The fun began with 1-out in the bottom of the 9^th, Matt Piatt drew a walk to give the Warriors their first runner. Quirino Esquivel, who came in to play right field in the top of the 8^th inning to replace Colelamn, stepped up and with an 0-2 count rifled a base hit into right field firing up the Warriors dugout and advancing Piatt to 3^rd. Jesse Coleman stepped up with runners on 1^st and 3^rd and unfortunately was unable to win the battle as he went down swinging giving the Warriors 2-outs. With Napo Ballestero at the plate, the Tritons pitcher threw a wild pitch that got past the catcher and allowed Matt Piatt to score. This cut the lead to 7-6. Ballestero drew a walk, and just like that the Warriors had the winning run at 1^st base. Head coach Brad Niethammer, entered the speedy Garrett Martin to run for Ballestero trying to give the Warriors the upper hand should they continue. Tanner Williams stepped in a showed that patience pays off as with a full count 3-2, he drew a walk that loaded the bases. Cristian Rivera marched to the plate with 2-outs knowing what had to happen. Rivera who bats from the left side, down in the count, hit a hard line drive that burned the left fielder and was just a few feet shy of a homerun, but scored Quirino Esquivel and Garrett Martin giving the Warriors one of the most exciting comebacks this year winning 8-7.


STAT LINE: Cristian Rivera led the way for the Warriors not only with the walk-off hit, but going 3-4 at the plate with 2 RBI's. He was followed by Connor Clayton who was 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI. Matt Piatt also had a multi-hit performance going 2-4 with 2 runs scored. Napo Ballestero and Tanner Williams both were crucial as they drew 3 walks a piece totaling 6 walks for the pair. Webber sent 7 pitchers to the mound during the game, but coming away with the win on the night was Jesse Coleman as he now improves to 4-0 on the year.




(Post Game Interview Conducted by Kyle Blue Webber SID featuring Webber head coach Brad Niethammer and Warrior Cristian Rivera) 

FINAL THOUGHTS: The Warriors improve to 29-8, TSC 10-5 on the year just 1-win shy of 30. They will take on the visiting University of South Carolina Beaufort Sand Sharks (24-12, TSC 9-6) in one of the biggest matchups they will see this year. The Sand Sharks bring in tough pitching and have players ranked in the top 5 in almost every stat category in the Sun Conference. The first pitch of the 3-game set is scheduled for Friday night at 6:00 p.m. located in Babson Park, Fla. at the Heart of Florida Field.