BABSON PARK, Fla. (March 11, 2022) - The Webber International University baseball team faced top-25 opposition for the second time so far this season, this time on its home field, in a doubleheader against the No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett Grizzlies. The Warriors fell in game one, 10-6, after a long and grueling game that took 12 innings to decide a winner before winning a defensive game two, 1-0.

Xavier Rodriguez would start on the mound for the Warriors (25-5 overall) in game number one, giving up two runs on four hits and striking out two before being relieved by Thomas Lopez Jr. who threw 3.2 innings and allowed two runs on two hits and struck out four. Praxie Vigil, Dawson Young, and Rey Rodriguez would also see time on the mound.

The Warriors would take an early 2-0 lead in the first inning after an RBI-triple to right center field from Angel Diaz followed by an RBI-single from Tyren Milliner in the very next at-bat. The Grizzlies (19-4) bounced back in the top half of the second with two runs of their own to level the game again. In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Warriors would retake the lead thanks to a sacrifice fly from Chris Williams that would score Richard Rodriguez. A single up the middle from A. Diaz in the fifth inning would double the Warrior-lead and put them up 4-2. The next inning, Webber would bring two more runs home thanks to a two-RBI single to left field from Kenny Rodriguez.

Georgia Gwinnett would turn the game on its head in the top of the eighth inning, picking up three runs and cutting the deficit to just one run. In the top of the ninth, a sacrifice fly from the Grizzlies would bring home another run and level the game at 6-6. The two teams would battle scoreless until the 12th inning when the Grizzlies would pick up four runs to earn the victory in game one.

The Warriors were led by K. Rodriguez who was 3-for-7 with two RBI's followed by A. Diaz who was 2-for-5 with a triple, two RBI's and a run scored.

Game two would turn out to be a pitching duel between Dylan Martin and the starting pitcher for the Grizzlies. D. Martin would throw a complete game shutout, earning his fifth win of the season while striking out 12 batters in his nine innings of action.

The game would remain scoreless for the majority of the game as the two pitchers battled it out on the mound. Georgia Gwinnett would put in a relief pitcher in the bottom of the eighth and after striking out the leadoff man, K. Rodriguez would reach on an error by the shortstop. Christian Martin would also reach on an error and the Warriors would have runners on first and second with one out. With the very next at-bat, A. Diaz would step in to hit an RBI-single through the right side that would score K. Rodriguez and give Webber the 1-0 lead heading into the top of the ninth. The leadoff hitter would ground out to second base and D. Martin would strike out the final two batters to seal the narrow 1-0 victory.

The Warriors would have just five hits in the game, all singles, but it was A. Diaz that drove home the game-winning run in the bottom of the eighth.

Next up, the Warriors conclude the three-game series against No. 5 Georgia Gwinnett on Sunday, March 12, at 4 p.m. The team will then host Hastings College in a single game on Tuesday, March 15, at 6 p.m.