NORTH MIAMI, Fla. (March 18, 2023) – Florida National University’s baseball team shook off a three-game losing slump in a big way with a 14-13 win over the Bryant & Stratton College Albany Bobcats Saturday. FNU pulled off the win in walk-off fashion following a 10-10 tie after seven innings. The Bobcats handed FNU a 9-7 loss Friday, and the Conquistadors were hungry to get another game in the win column.
At the bottom of the first, FNU’s home-run specialist Matthew Gonzalez delivered a two-RBI homer to centerfield to tie the game 2-2. The Bobcats stormed back in the second with a four-run, three-hit inning with three runners left on. Facing a 6-2 deficit, pinch runner Cameron Josemond made it home on a flyout from Gonzalez to cut the Bobcats’ lead to three.
In the third, a homer to centerfield courtesy of Adrian Roman kicked off a six-run, four-hit inning for the Conquistadors. Josemond and Nick Diaz both scored on doubles while Daniel Reyes made it home on a single from Diaz. With the bases loaded, a costly walk on first baseman Yordangel Gonzalez sent Matthew Gonzalez home for another FNU run.
The Bobcats tied the game in the fourth capitalizing on a hit and one costly error by catcher Jeremy De La Cruz. The Bobcats kept it rolling in the fifth taking the lead on a one-run, two-hit inning, followed by another score in the sixth on a single up the middle of the diamond to take a 10-9 lead. An RBI single from FNU’s Gino Bellantoni scored pinch hitter Alejandro De Arazoza to send this seven-inning classic to extra-innings.
With neither team breaking through in the eighth, BSC connected on a two-RBI homer to centerfield and an RBI single up the middle to take a daunting 13-10 lead heading into the bottom of the frame. Yordangel Gonzalez singled up the middle to send in Diaz for FNU’s first score of the inning.
An error by the first baseman pushed in Matthew Gonzalez for another breakthrough Conquistador run. The show-stopping moment arrived a few plays later, as a single from catcher De La Cruz bought just enough time for pinch-runner Alex Lopez to make his way home from second and for fellow pinch-runner Eduardo Ponce to dive home for the game-winning score.
Ponce leaped into a huddle of jubilant FNU players as the Coqnusitadros secured the 14-13 win. FNU committed 17 hits and three errors while the Bobcats had 14 hits and one error.
Up Next: FNU travels to South Plantation High School tomorrow for an 11 a.m. game against Fort Lauderdale.
