(Box Score) (Box Score 2)
LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. (April 20, 2024) – Florida National University’s baseball team (21-22) split its final day at the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Showdown hosted by Georgia Gwinnett College. The Conquistadors scored a strong 8-5 win over Crowley’s Ridge College (9-23) to start the afternoon in Lawrenceville, Ga., before getting overwhelmed by the NAIA’s No.3-ranked GGC Grizzlies (38-6) 38-3.
Florida National started game one trailing by a run after an RBI groundout on Andrew Brown scored Parker Gordon towards the end of the first. The Conquistadors came alive in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead. Yordangel Gonzalez posted an RBI triple in the frame and eventually scored on a base hit to right field from Adrian Roman. Roman delivered some smart base running, scoring on a costly passed ball by Pioneer catcher Matthew Parker.
CRC tied the game on an RBI single and double from Josh Schmitt and Adonis Thomas in the third. FNU secured the win with a massive five-run inning in the bottom of the sixth. Leadoff hitter Jordan Lewis and outfielder Gino Bellantoni launched two-RBI singles in the frame and Jose Carpena capitalized on another passed ball to sneak in another FNU score. CRC attempted a run in the seventh but were held to just two runs and three hits.
Georgia Gwinnett proved to be a tough opponent for the Conquistadors. The Grizzlies posted a program record for the most runs scored in a single game with 38. This is the second game in a row that GGC has shattered this record, recording 34 in its previous outing at the CAC showdown versus CRC. FNU tallied just three runs the entire contest. Their scores coming off a double from Jason Altuve in the second that scored Alex Lopez, an RBI double from Daniel Silgado in the top of the third and a single from catcher Jeremy De La Cruz that ran in Lewis.
FNU conceded four homers in the loss and 20 hits to a loaded GGC roster. Altuve and De La Cruz had the best performance from the batter’s box, going two for three. Nine different FNU pitchers took the mound for the Conquistadors, as FNU’s pitching staff allowed a costly 22 walks.
Up Next: Florida National closes out the regular season with a four-game home stand beginning April 26 versus Fort Lauderdale at Ernest R. Graham Park.
