BOX SCORE (Game One) l BOX SCORE (Game Two)
MIAMI, Fla. (April 23, 2021) – In the final home game of the 2021 season, the Florida National Conquistadors (22-13) split a doubleheader with the USCB Sand Sharks (20-18), falling in Game One, 5-1, and walking-off with a 7-6 extra-inning thriller in Game Two.
After the double dip, FNU recognized seniors Natasha Trujillo and Taylor Turner, who were playing in the final home games of their Conquistador’s careers.
Game One, came down to a four-run top of the fifth for USCB, as FNU had a five-game winning streak snapped with a 5-1 loss.
FNU was held to just four hits with Nini Underwood driving in the team’s only run with an RBI single in the bottom of the third.
Trujillo was saddled with the loss, giving up five runs (three earned) with four strikeouts in five innings of action.
Game Two was a back-and-fourth thriller as the Conquistadors walked-off with a 7-6 win in eight innings.
Gabryella Hay, who started in the circle for FNU, got the Conquistadors on the board in the bottom of the first with a two-run blast to right center. Hay finished the game hitting 3-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
The Sand Sharks tied the game in the top third, scoring two runs with a pair of RBI-singles.
Brandi Kirkpatrick drove in two runs in the bottom of the fifth as FNU regained the lead, 4-2. One batter later, Trujillo singled down the left field line to bring home Gabriela De Oliveira from third, extended the FNU lead, 5-2.
The Sand Sharks responded and took the lead in the top of the sixth, scoring four runs with two outs on the scoreboard. In the bottom half of the sixth, FNU tied the game as Underwood stole home as part of a double steal with Hay, who took second. It was the third runs scored for the Conquistador shortstop.
The game moved to extra innings where in the bottom of the eighth Makayla Peralta scored on a play at the plate following an infield ground-out by Turner.
Kirkpatrick (8-4) earned the win, allowing no runs on two hits in two innings of relief.
The Conquistadors will close out the 2021 regular season with a road game at Ave Maria on Saturday, May 1.
