HBCU baseball’s preseason top ranked Edward Waters Tigers baseball split its weekend double-header with fourth ranked Florida Memorial Lions on Saturday.
Despite falling 5-3 and surrendering a late game comeback by Edward Waters in game one, The Lions fought back to take game two from EWU in a pitching duel until the game went into extra innings in the 11th, inking a 6-1 win.
Florida Memorial head coach Tito Burgos was proud of his team’s response in game two.
“This was another big test for our club and I’m proud of our response in game two after a tough loss in game one,” Burgos said. “We still have some things to clean up, but playing teams like Edward Waters will better prepare us for the season.”
Game One
The Lion offense scored the game’s first run in the top of the second inning. After Luis Ruiz flied out to centerfield and Genesis Nunez struck out swinging, Levis Aguila reached base on an infield single. Aguila stole second base and was brought home by Raymond Rivera’s batted ball that Edward Waters first baseman Hugo Schoening misplayed resulting in an error, handing FMU a 1-0 lead. The Lions would make it 2-0 when junior catcher Allan Berrios touched EWU starter with a solo homerun over the left field fence.
Head coaches Reginald Johnson of Edward Waters and Florida Memorial’s Tito Burgos meet before the game.
Edward Waters put up a five-spot with the help of four straight singles by Payton Shubert, John Nobles, Dwanye Maduro, and Daiton Pass. EWU also added a run aided by a fielding error by Lion starter Mac Charnin. Pass’ two-run scoring single gave the Tigers a 5-2 lead. Pass would finish game one going 2-4, driving in two runs.
Florida Memorial would add another run in the top of the eighth inning to make the score 5-3, but that was as close as they would come.
Sophomore pitcher Alexander Davila started game one on the mound and went 6.1 innings, striking out five and surrendering six hits and two earned runs. Austin James came in and threw 2.0 innings of relief work to close out the game.
Game Two
Locked in a pitching duel with Florida Memorial, the Edward Waters baseball team came up short in a 11-inning extra inning thrilling pitching gem from both teams that resulted in a 6-1 victory for FMU. The loss dropped EWU to 1-1 overall, while the Lions are also 1-1.
Edward Waters starter Will Valenti and Florida Memorial starter William Hiciano, each kept hitters at bay during the contest. Florida Memorial got on the scoreboard first in the seventh inning.
The meeting at the plate.
Jalen Young lead off the inning with a singled to right field, advanced to second on a fielder’s choice groundout, moved to third base on an infield groundout and scored the game’s first run on a Luis Ruiz run batted in single to left field, scoring Young for the 1-0 lead.
The Tigers were able to tie the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the ninth-inning but they missed the chance to win the game. Edward Waters loaded the bases with one out. Ferante Cowart was able to come home and score on a passed ball to tie the score up at one. After an intentional walk to Luis Garcia, with the Florida Memorial infield drawn in, after Dwanye Maduro batted ball, brilliant fielding play by FMU shortstop Ulises Rodriguez snagging a hot hit grounder that would have given the Tigers a walkoff win.
Edward Waters preparing its home field at J.P. Small Park
Both teams went scoreless in the 10th inning. Florida Memorial, in the top of 11th, plated five runs. The big blow, with two men on base was a Luis Ruiz three-run homerun blast over the 25’ left field fence to secure the Lion victory earing a split for both preseason ranked teams.
Florida Memorial starter William Hiciano, in five innings on the mound, struck out eight batters. Combined with Anthony Molina and Kyle Morrison relief efforts, they recorded 14 strikeouts in the win. Morrison would slam the door in the 11th inning to pick up the win.
Luis Ruiz finished 3-5 at the plate with one homerun and four runs batted in. Young went 2 for 6, and Ulises Rodriquez was 2-5 with a stolen base.
EWU starter Will Valenti went four innings and recorded five strikeouts. Relief pitcher Darius Blasingane took the loss despite striking out four Lion batters.
It was a championship-type, competitive series all-around. The last time these two teams met was in the the NAIA championship game bracket at the Black College World Series where Edward Waters eventually became the HBCU Black College World Series champions.