BABSON PARK, Fla. (March 24, 2021) – After winning two out of three games against Florida National University earlier in the season, the No. 25 nationally-ranked Webber International University baseball team split its final two games this year against FNU. The Warriors won game one by a score of 6-1 before falling 6-5 in a close game number two on Wednesday on the Heart of Florida Baseball Field.

In the win in game one, Webber was paced by starting pitcher Dylan Martin (2-2) allowing only two hits, one run and one walk with five strikeouts throughout his six innings before Thomas Lopez Jr. finished off the seventh inning with three straight outs. In fact, a two-out walk in the top of the fourth inning would be the final baserunner in the game for FNU.

Down 1-0 in the bottom of the third, Webber jumped ahead as Steven Lugo and Cale Jones led off with back-to-back walks before Norberto Navarro doubled down the left field line to score Lugo and tie the game at 1-1.

Then, pinch runner Tavion Williams scored on a wild pitch before Rougie Odor brought in Navarro with a groundout to make it 3-1 Warriors.

Webber scored three more runs in the bottom of the fourth inning as a sacrifice fly to right field by Lugo scored Luis Acevedo, a double to right center by Jones scored Victor Florentino, and then Williams continued to create havoc on the base paths by stealing third and scoring on the errant throw by the catcher.

Williams had one of Webber's four stolen bases in game one, but then in game two, he was singlehandedly responsible for three steals.

Down 6-0 after four and a half innings in game two, Webber attempted to get back into the game as with the bases loaded and nobody out, Navarro walked to score Ian Kalman. With one out, Angel Diaz grounded out to score Lugo, but then with two outs, Dominique Collie Jr. came up with a big triple to straightaway center field to score both Williams and Navarro to make it 6-4.

In the bottom of the sixth, Orlando Pena led off with a double down the right field line and eventually scored with one out on a groundout by Navarro to make it 6-5. Unfortunately, another groundout would leave both the tying and the winning runs in scoring position.

Kyle Choate got three straight strikeouts to strand the bases loaded for FNU in the top of the sixth inning and pitched a 1-2-3 top of the seventh to give Webber a fighting chance in the final few innings.

Webber's record moved to 19-13 overall as the game two loss was the end of a five-game home winning streak for the Warriors. FNU, meanwhile, snapped its nine-game losing streak in game two to move its record to 6-19.

Next up, Webber will return to conference action this weekend against Florida Memorial University as the two teams meet up first at 6 p.m. on Friday, March 26, and then play a doubleheader starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 27, all on the Heart of Florida Baseball Field.