(Box Score) (Box Score 2)
HIALEAH, Fla. (April 27, 2024) – Florida National University’s baseball team (21-26) once again found themselves behind the eight-ball against the University of Fort Lauderdale (38-12), falling in its final two regular season games of the 2024 season. FNU was too short-handed for a heavy-hitting UFTL Eagles team at Ernest R. Graham Park, falling 21-9 in game one and 11-4 in game two.
UFTL started the doubleheader in dramatic fashion, taking a 2-0 lead after a JD Tibbs’ two-score double. Tibbs later scored on a wild pitch and the Eagles went into the third up 3-1 after FNU posted an RBI-single from Gino Bellantoni. The NCCAA’s No. 1 team came back with a vengeance in the third, scoring five runs to take full command of the contest. The Eagles scoring tear included a run on a wild pitch and a balk.
The fifth and sixth frames for FNU were especially interesting, with the Eagles combining for 13 scores. FNU ended the seventh with a strong five-score series to end a three-inning scoring drought. Daniel Reyes got things started with a score on a passed ball followed closely behind by a two-score single from Bellantoni and a two-RBI double from designated hitter Roberto Fernandez. UFTL ended the game with 11 hits while FNU recorded nine hits and three errors.
Game two saw the Eagles take an unprecedented 10-0 lead in the second inning to put themselves firmly in the driver’s seat. Four RBI-singles and a two-score triple proved to be too much for the Conquistadors to overcome.
UFTL added to its lead in the third on a triple from Chris Martin and FNU avoided its second shutout of the series in the seventh on singles from pinch hitter Giovanni Dalmau and Cameron Josemond. FNU ended the game with one error and nine hits, while UFTL had eight hits.
Up Next: FNU heads to Lawrenceville, Ga., for the Continental Athletic Conference (CAC) Championship Tournament on May 4 against No. 2 Georgia Gwinnett College.
