Story written and posted by Anthony Perry '08, Fisher College Associate Director of Athletics

MARION, N.C. – A wild walk off victory in game two finishes off an eventful four game Continental Athletic Conference series this weekend as the Fisher College Baseball team earned a spilt against Florida National University at Big League Camp. The Falcons received several clutch performances late in game two to escape with a 9-8 win in 10 innings after falling in the opener, 8-3. Fisher now 2-6 on the season while the Conquistadors move to 6-5.

Game One: Florida National 8, Fisher 3 (Final)

A six-run third inning was the difference as the Falcons dropped the first game of the double-header against Florida National.

Fisher opened the scoring right away as junior Michael Wright (Winnipeg, Manitoba) singled home junior Jeremy Renta (Caguas, P.R.) to give the Falcons a 1-0 advantage.

That lead disappeared quickly in the third inning as FNU junior Roberto Fernandez (Miami Beach, Fla.) belted a two-run homer and the Conquistadors never looked back. They plated four more runs in the frame followed by single runs in the fourth and sixth to earn their 6th victory of the season.

The Falcons managed to string a few hits together and threaten another comeback in the seventh. A Renta sacrifice fly and an RBI walk by Gabriel Rivera closed the deficit to just five runs. However, with the bases loaded and two outs, FNU reliever Armando Jimenez was able to get the final out and preserve the win.

Senior Emanuel Rosado (Bayamon, P.R.) went 2-for-4 at the plate as he was the only member of the Falcons to record a multi-hit game. Renta, Wright, and Rivera each had an RBI. Junior Yadriel Cuadrado (Yabucoa, P.R.) was handed the loss as he allowed seven runs over 3.2 innings of work. The left-hander struck out four and issued three walks.

FNU's sophomore left-hander Bastyan Hernandez (Hialeah, Fla.) was tough on the Fisher hitters as he surrendered just three runs (two earned) on seven hits over the 6.1 innings he was on the mound while striking out five. Jimenez faced three hitters in relief, registering two outs and a walk. Fernandez finished his day at the plate going 3-for-3 with the home run, two RBI and two runs scored to pace the offensive effort.

Game Two: Fisher 9, Florida National 8 (Final/10-inn.)

Late game heroics and a dazzling performance out of the pen helped lead the Falcons to a wild 9-8 walk off win in game two to salvage a split of the double-header and four-game series.

Junior William De Gracia (Canovanas, P.R.) entered from the pen in the top of the seventh with the game tied at 8, runners on second and third and no body out. The left-hander was able to induce an infield pop-up for the first out. After an intentional walk that loaded the bases, De Gracia was able to get a key double-play to escape the jam and end the threat. He magician performance was not over as he was able to get out of another bases loaded situation in the 8th and strand a potential go-ahead runner at second in the 10th.

The Falcons had runners reach base in each of the extra frames but they were finally able to solve the riddle that FNU reliever Brock Lambert had on them for the majority of his 6.1 innings of work. With one out in the 10th, senior Miguel Torres (Villalba, P.R.) pinched hit and laid down a perfectly executed bunt single to give the Falcons some life. Rivera then followed through with his own single to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Junior Jose Aybar (Santo Domingo, D.R.) worked a walk to load the bases and set the stage for junior Ruben Rodriguez (Nashua, N.H.).

Rodriguez, who was just 1-for-5 with an RBI on the afternoon, lifted a fly ball just deep enough into centerfield which allowed Torres to scamper home and give the Falcons a dramatic 9-8 victory.

De Gracia picked up the win as he tossed 4 innings of scoreless relief, allowing two hits and striking out one. Wright finished the nightcap going 3-for-6 at the dish with an RBI. Freshman Jatnier Torres (Santa Isabel, P.R.), who made several clutch plays defensively – including the inning ending double-play in the seventh, was 2-for-3 at the plate with an RBI and run scored. Sophomore Armando Torres (Vega Baja, P.R.) also collected multiple hits as he finished 2-for-6 from the leadoff spot and Rosado launched a solo home run in the fourth.

Florida National's Lambert pitched well despite being handed the loss. The right-hander allowed three runs (all earned) over his 6.1 innings on the hill with nine strikeouts. All three pitchers for the Conquistadors surrendered three runs each as junior starter Mario Benjamin (Santo Domingo, D.R.) tossed 2 innings and freshman Juan Pablo Arellano (Barranquilla, Colombia) spun 1.1 innings before Lambert took over.

Junior catcher Jeremy De La Cruz (Plantation, Fla.) was a perfect 4-for-4 with an RBI for Florida National and classmate Yordangel Gonzalez (Miami, Fla.) went 3-for-5 to account for most of the offensive production. Junior Gino Bellantoni (Boca Raton, Fla.) collected two RBI on his 2-for-4 night and fellow junior Jordan Lewis (Toronto, Ontario) was 3-for-6 from the leadoff spot for FNU.

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Fisher will return home for four games next weekend before departing on another bus trip to the mid-south. They will host Lasell University on Saturday afternoon with a 12pm first pitch from Fraser Field. It will be the team's first game at Fraser since the 2022 season after the completition of a new all field-turf playing surface at the historic ballpark.