Babson Park. FL – The Webber International Baseball team hosted the Florida National Conquistadors for a Wednesday Matinee. The Warriors struck first on a Bryan Morales homerun, and stayed ahead, taking down the Conquistadors 7-1.
Diego Quinonez started on the bump for the Warriors. After a lead off strikeout, a double and passed ball had a runner on third with one out. Another strikeout and a groundout to Ryan Recio at first base ended the threat. A Gaby Cruz one out walk was followed by a fielders choice and an error, but a groundout ended the Warrior threat.
After walking the leadoff batter, Quinonez got a flyout to left field before inducing a 5-4-3 double play to get out of his half of the inning. Nicholas Badillo roped a double into center field before being ran for by J'Quann Smith. After Smith stole third, Morales broke through, getting a ball just past the left field wall for a two-run homerun making it 2-0 Warriors. Deven Tedders responded with a double of his own, also swiping third, but a strikeout would strand him 90 feet away.
Quinonez was nails in the third, jamming the first two batters into foul popouts, and although an error allowed another baserunner, a groundout on the next batter ended the top of the frame. Joseph Becker got on base with another Warrior double, swiping third as well. Brandon Sanchez then brought Becker home on an RBI groundout.
The Conquistadors had two runners in scoring position after a hit by pitch and a single, but a two-out strikeout from Quinonez ended the threat in the top of the fourth. Mike Cuello and Tedders both drew walks, but were unable to advance.
Quinonez fired two more strikeouts in the top of the fifth inning after a leadoff walk. A flyout to center retired the Florida National side. Recio led off the inning with a walk, and Becker joined him on the basepath with a hit by pitch. A wild pitch advanced both two second and third respectively, before a balk scored Recio, making it 4-0. Becker would then score on a Nate Cannizzaro single. Cannizzaro was stranded on third to head to the sixth.
Hunter Youngblood made his 2025 season debut on the mound and went 1-2-3 with a groundout, a flyout and a strikeout looking. Webber also went down in order in the sixth.
Skyler Schulz came into the game in the 7th for Webber, but Youngblood again went 1-2-3, with a strikeout looking, a lineout, and a popout to Schulz at first. Recio started the inning with a hit by pitch, and after two flyouts, advanced from first to third on a stolen base and a throwing error. He was stranded on a groundout.
Jalen Martinez came in for Youngblood in the eighth. After a PFP for the first out, Martinez gave up a homerun, but quickly induced a popout and a strikeout to get out of the inning before any more damage could be done. Steven Nitch came in to pinch hit for Cuello and immediately singled. Cuello came back in to run, and Dalton Robinson also pinch hit for Morales. Robinson singled, which advanced Cuello to third. After a stolen base by Robinson, Cuello came around to score on a throwing error by the catcher, making it 6-1 Webber. Robinson scored from second on a Smith single, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double, making it 7-1 Warriors heading into the top of the ninth.
Noah Palmese came into to close the game, attacking hitter from the start. He got a groundout to start followed by a single. Palmese ended the game with another groundout, then pushed one past the last batter for a strikeout, ending the game in the Warriors favor.
Webber will be back in action on Friday, February 14th , for a matchup against the Ave Maria Gyrenes at 6:00 P.M. at Brad Niethammer Field.
For the latest and most up-to-date information on Warrior Athletics, visit www.webberathletics.com and follow us on Twitter (@WebberAthletics), Instagram (@Webber_Athletics), and Facebook (Webber International University Athletics).
