Fort Myers, FL — The 8th ranked Webber International Baseball team battled through an early deficit and delivered several clutch swings late, rallying past Ave Maria, 16-14, on Thursday morning at JetBlue Park. The Warriors totaled 14 hits, scored in five different innings, and used a four-run seventh followed by a three-run eighth to take control in a high-scoring SUN Conference Tournament matchup.
Ave Maria jumped ahead early, scoring once in the first, three times in the second, and five more in the third to build a 9-3 advantage. Webber answered in the bottom of the second when Mike Cuello walked and Will Gisriel singled to put traffic on the bases. David Zamora later reached on a fielder's choice before Keegan Martin drove a two-run double to right field, scoring Zamora and Cuello. Tugg Hollandsworth followed with an RBI single to right, bringing Martin home and trimming the deficit to 4-3.
After the Gyrenes extended the lead in the third, Webber continued to chip away. Jalen Martinez and Steven Nitch opened the inning with walks before Cuello singled to center to score Martinez. The Warriors later loaded the bases, and Martin came through again with a two-run single to left, bringing home Austen Jaslove and Gisriel to cut the margin to 9-6.
Webber kept climbing back in the fifth. Gisriel, Zamora, and Martin all reached to load the bases, and Gisriel scored on a wild pitch. Ty Mathews then delivered one of the biggest swings of the inning, singling to right field to score Martin and Zamora and tie the game at 9-9.
Ave Maria responded with four runs in the sixth to regain a 13-9 lead, but the Warriors put together their biggest answer in the seventh. Hollandsworth doubled, Martinez singled, and Nitch walked to load the bases. With two outs, Cuello launched a grand slam to left center, scoring Hollandsworth, Martinez, and Kaleb Henry to even the game at 13-13.
The Warriors took the lead for good in the eighth. Jaslove reached on an error, Matty Davis entered as a pinch runner, and Skyler Schulz moved him into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. After Martin walked and Hollandsworth reached on a fielder's choice, Mathews reached on an error that allowed Davis to score the go-ahead run. Martinez followed with a two-run double to right field, scoring Hollandsworth and Mathews to give Webber a 16-13 lead.
Ave Maria pushed one run across in the ninth, but Zach Hessler finished the game on the mound to secure the win. Hessler earned the decision after throwing the final two innings, allowing one run while striking out two.
Cuello powered the Webber offense, finishing 3-for-5 with a home run, five RBI, two runs scored, and a walk. Martin went 3-for-5 with a double, four RBI, two runs, and a walk, while Martinez added a 2-for-4 day with a double, two RBI, two runs, and two walks. Mathews drove in three runs, Hollandsworth finished 2-for-5 with a double, two runs, and an RBI, and Gisriel, Zamora, Jaslove, Davis, and Henry all crossed the plate in the comeback victory.
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