LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (April 9, 2021) – The nationally-recognized Webber International University baseball team started off the first two games of its nonconference series at No. 9 Georgia Gwinnett College by splitting a doubleheader on Friday at the Grizzly Baseball Complex. The Warriors lost game one 5-3 before bouncing back in game two by scoring 13 runs in the final three innings and winning it 16-9.

In game one, Webber led 2-0 after scoring a run in the top of both the second and third innings before giving up two runs in both the bottom of the third and fourth innings to fall behind 4-2.

Webber got the score back to within one at 4-3 in the top of the sixth inning after a two-out RBI-single to left field by Angel Diaz to score Luis Acevedo from second base.

Then down 5-3 in the top of the eighth inning, Webber loaded the bases with only one out after two hit by pitches and the third and fourth errors of the game by Georgia Gwinnett.

The Grizzles, however, stopped the Warriors in their tracks by bringing in their closer for a five-out save. Hunter Caudelle got a swinging strikeout followed by a fly out to center field to get out of the eighth inning.

In the top of the ninth, Caudelle got two quick outs before walking Steven Lugo and hitting Dominique Collie Jr. to put the tying run on base with two outs, but then got a swinging strikeout on a check swing to end the game.

Georgia Gwinnett had 10 hits through only four innings before being held to only two hits the rest of the way. Additionally, the Warriors left 11 runners on base while Georgia Gwinnett left 10 on.

In game two, Webber again led early on, this time finding itself ahead 2-1 after three innings thanks to RBI hits in the first and third innings both by Bryan Eusebio.

Just like it did in game one, Georgia Gwinnett scored twice in the bottom of the fourth to take its first lead of the game, but this time, Webber answered back with a run in the top of the fifth to tie it at 3-3.

After Georgia Gwinnett took a 5-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth as a wild pitch and a balk by the Warriors' pitcher both allowed a run to score, Webber answered again in the top of the seventh, loading the bases with two outs to set up a two-run single to left field on a 3-2 count by pinch hitter Ian Kalman.

That was followed by an RBI-single to right field by Norberto Navarro that scored Diaz from second base to give Webber a 6-5 lead.

The big inning for Webber continued as a hit by pitch by Lugo scored Kalman to make it 7-5, and then a hit up the middle by Collie Jr. scored two more runs to make it 9-5. In all, the Warriors sent 12 batters to the plate in the seventh inning but had only four hits.

However, the Grizzlies would not quit and responded yet again, scoring three runs with only one out in the bottom of the seventh to get back to within one at 9-8.

Webber would score three insurance runs in the top of the eighth to get its lead back to four at 12-8, and then added four more runs in the ninth.

Navarro finished 4-for-6 with four RBI's and three runs scored, and Odor was also 4-for-6 with three runs scored. Collie Jr. was 3-for-6 with four RBI's, and Eusebio was 2-for-4 with two RBI's and two walks.

After the split, Webber's record moved to 25-17 overall and 2-7 all-time against Georgia Gwinnett, which fell to 28-8 and saw its seven-game winning streak come to an end.

The Warriors and the Grizzles will return to the field for one more game tomorrow. First pitch is currently scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 10, but could change due to weather.