DUBOIS, Pa. (May 14, 2024) – Florida National University’s baseball team (23-29) posted another impressive victory at the USCAA Small College World Series on May 14. Commanding a 2-1 record, the No. 10-seeded Conquistadors defeated the Mid-Atlantic Christian University Mustangs (24-23) 2-1 to keep its national championship hopes alive in DuBois, Pa.
Both these teams met earlier in the 2024 season, as FNU won the three-game home stand against MACU on March 11-12. The Mustangs were held to just one score on seven hits in their final game of the tournament, while FNU recorded two runs and five hits.
The Conquistadors continue to have their own personal home run derby in Dubois, Pa., as catcher Jeremy De La Cruz put his team ahead 1-0 on a solo homer to left field. This marks the third contest in a row where FNU has blasted a home run. FNU’s lead doubled in the second after an RBI sacrifice fly from shortstop Jason Altuve advanced Yordangel Gonzalez to second, Roberto Fernandez to third and scored Matthew Gonzalez.
MACU cut this lead in the bottom of the third on an RBI sacrifice fly of their own by Landen Miller. Despite this clutch score, FNU’s pitching and defense were the real stars of the next four frames. Pitchers Juan Pablo Arellano and Evan Dalmau combined for three walks and three strikeouts in one of FNU’s best performances from the mound this season.
The Mustangs were held scoreless through the remaining four innings and suffered a dreaded three-up, three-down seventh inning to end their 2024 season.
Up Next: FNU seeks its second win in a row tomorrow at 1 p.m. versus Atlantis University on day three of the USCAA Small College World Series.
