Babson Park, FL – The 8th ranked Webber International Baseball team opened the 2026 season with a doubleheader sweep Friday, powering past Thomas 10-4 in Game 1 before walking it off for a 4-3, 11-inning win in the nightcap.
Game 1: Webber 10, Thomas 4
Webber wasted no time grabbing momentum in the opener, striking first in the bottom of the first when Ty Mathews was hit by a pitch to extend the inning and Jalen Martinez followed with a two-run home run to put the Warriors in front. Thomas answered with a run in the second, but Webber responded immediately as Keegan Martin laced an RBI double to restore a two-run cushion.
The Warriors broke the game open in the third with a four-run burst. Mathews jump-started the inning with a double, and Webber kept stacking quality at-bats until Skyler Schulz and Tugg Hollandsworth produced run-scoring singles. Martin delivered the biggest blow of the frame with a two-RBI single, pushing Webber's advantage to 7-1 and putting the game firmly in the Warriors' control.
From there, Webber's pitching and defense did the rest—snuffing out potential rallies and limiting Thomas to scattered single runs. The Warriors then put an exclamation point on the opener with a three-run eighth, highlighted by another RBI knock from Martin, plus RBI singles from S. Nitch and Mathews to close out the 10-4 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Martin: 3-for-4, 4 RBI, 2B
- Martinez: HR, 2 RBI, 2 runs, SB
- Mathews: 2-for-4, 2B, 2 runs
- Winning Pitcher: Trevor Carter (3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER)
Game 2: Webber 4, Thomas 3 (11 innings)
The nightcap turned into a marathon. Thomas jumped ahead in the second with a two-run homer, then added another in the third on an RBI double to build a 3-0 lead. Webber's staff settled in from there, holding the Hawks scoreless the rest of the way and giving the Warriors time to chip back into the game.
Webber finally broke through when it mattered most, erupting for three runs in the bottom of the seventh to force extras. With the bases loaded, Austen Jaslove punched an RBI single to get Webber on the board, and Mathews was hit by a pitch to bring home another. The tying run scored during a double play, and suddenly the Warriors had erased a three-run deficit to send the game into extra innings.
From the eighth on, Webber's bullpen slammed the door—most notably Zach Hessler, who threw four hitless innings to keep Thomas quiet deep into extras. In the 11th, Webber loaded the bases and ended it in dramatic fashion when Will Gisriel drew a walk to force in the winning run, completing the sweep.
Inside the Box Score
- Jaslove: 2-for-6, RBI, scored the winning run
- Martin: 2-for-4, 2 doubles, 2 BB
- Winning Pitcher: Hessler (4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 3 K)
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