Kingsport, TN – The Webber International Baseball team competed on the third day of the NAIA Opening Round against the Columbia College Cougars. Despite a ninth-inning comeback bid, the Warriors fell to the Cougars 6-5 to be eliminated from postseason play.
The Warriors were the designated away team and finished the top of the first inning in three batters. Brayden Matthews drew the start for the Warriors on the mound. The Cougars led off the game with two singles and a hit by pitch to load the bases. After a flyout, the Warriors looked to get out of the inning, but a throwing error on the second turn of a double play opportunity allowed two Cougars to score, making it 2-0 after one.
A Tyren Milliner single would be all the Warriors got in the second. The Cougars scored two more in the second, after a hit by pitch and a double put runners in scoring position. Two singles scored both runners before a strikeout ended the inning.
Richard Rodriguez, Ian Kalman, and Gabriel Cruz each singled to start the third quarter. Camren Carroll grounded into a double play to score Rodriguez and advance Kalman to third, but a strikeout ended the Warrior threat. Matthews got through the bottom of the third retiring the side in three batters.
Milliner and Brodey Neveker each walked to before a fielder's choice off the bat of Jarrett May put Neveker and May on first and second. A single from Rodriguez scored Neveker to cut the deficit to 4-2 after four innings. Outside of a double and a walk, the Cougars went down in the bottom of the fourth.
Both teams went down in order in the fifth, to keep it quiet.
The Warriors went 1-2-3 in the top of the sixth. Columbia hit two singles to start the bottom of the sixth. A wild pitch advanced both runners before another single scored the first. Brighton Taylor came on in relief of Matthews, and a sacrifice fly scored another run for the Cougars. After six the score sat 6-2 in favor of Columbia.
Rodriguez and Cruz both singled in the top of the seventh, but the threat would end on a two-out grounder. A walk and a sacrifice bunt from Columbia had a runner on third with one out. The next batter popped into a double play to end the seventh.
Joseph Becker led off the eighth with a hit by pitch, but a double play quickly snuffed the runner out, and a flyout ended the inning. Taylor got the first two batters he faced out before giving up a single, and Seth Lovell came in for relief. Lovell got the next batter to strikeout swinging and ended the eighth.
Neveker and May each got on base to open the ninth inning. A single from Rodriguez scored Neveker, forcing the Cougars to make a pitching change. Bryan Morales drew a pinch-hit walk to load the bases, while Cruz and Carroll each hit sacrifice fly balls to score more runners, making it 6-5 with two outs and a runner on. A flyout to the centerfielder cut the Warriors comeback bid short as they fell 6-5 and were eliminated.
Rodriguez led the team with four hits and two RBI's while Cruz had two hits and one RBI. Matthews struck out three batters in 5.0 innings.
The Warriors would like to thank their fans for their continued support throughout the season.
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