BABSON PARK, Fla. (February 29, 2020) – After 3-2 and 1-0 defeats at home against Thomas University on Saturday, the No. 16 Webber International University baseball team dropped its second straight Sun Conference series and lost its first series at home on the season.

All three games on the series were decided by only one run as Webber fell to 12-8 overall and 4-5 in The Sun Conference with five losses in its last six games. Thomas, meanwhile, earned its first two conference wins of the season to improve to 2-4 in the league and 9-13 overall.

In game one on Saturday, starting pitcher Taylor Burns made his second start of the week but fell to 0-2 by allowing four hits, two total runs and one earned run through the first seven innings. Burns also struck out six batters and walked three before Dalton Mosser allowed the run that would ultimately be the difference in the top of the eighth inning.

Both of Webber's runs in the game came on groundouts as Webber made it a one-run game in the bottom of the eighth with an RBI-groundout to shortstop by Hunter Morales scoring Norberto Navarro, who led off the inning with a walk. Unfortunately, a swinging strikeout on the next at bat left the tying run in Carlo Mancillas on third base.

In the second game, Bryce McDonald (3-2) pitched an effective first seven innings just like Burns did, giving up seven hits with one walk and only one run while striking out four. The only one of the ballgame came on back-to-back doubles with one out by the Night Hawks in the top of the sixth.

From there, the Warriors went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of both the sixth and seventh innings

Gerig Blackman pitched a scoreless final two innings giving up only one hit to give the Webber offense a fighting chance, but unfortunately the Warriors stranded two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the eighth before again going down 1-2-3 in the ninth.

Victor Florentino was 2-for-3 with a double in game one while Navarro and Cale Jones recorded the only hits of the game for the Warriors in game two.

Next up will be a battle of two nationally-ranked teams as No. 16 Webber hosts No. 7 Bellevue University at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 2, on the Heart of Florida Baseball Field. The Warriors have currently won three straight against the Bruins, all at home, including a 6-5 victory in 2018 and a 5-3 win last season.