Banyans toppled by Conquistadors in doubleheader sweep. (March 21, 2024)
(Box Score) (Box Score 2)
HIALEAH, Fla. (March 21, 2024) – Florida National University’s baseball team (13-15) claimed two more wins in the 2024 season, defeating New College of Florida Banyans (9-16) in Hialeah, Fla. The Conquistadors defended their new home field with a 6-5 win in game one and a 10-3 win to complete the sweep at Ernest R Graham Park. FNU posted 21 hits through both contests, holding the Banyans to just six hits in game one.
Florida National went off in the second inning of game one, taking a 5-0 lead in a seven-hit inning. Designated hitter Roberto Fernandez lived up to his position, bringing in two runners on a double to left field. Yordangel Gonzalez was the next Conquistador to claim an RBI in the frame, grabbing a base hit to score Fernandez. An RBI single from Jason Altuve and a two-RBI homer to left from lead-off hitter Jordan Lewis topped a solid second frame for the Conquistadors.
NCF got one run a piece through the next two innings on a costly walk by Luis Ayesa with the bases loaded. The Banyans ran in another scorer with a sacrifice fly to right field before catcher Adrian Roman bombed a solo homer in the bottom of the fourth in what would be FNU’s winning run.
The Banyans made it a closer affair after an unprecedented three-RBI double from John McIntosh cut FNU’s lead to just one. Jayce Kirkham was able to close out the game from the mound in the seventh, posting a strikeout and allowing no hits.
Game two saw FNU trail after a score for NCF on an RBI signal in the second. This lead was short-lived as the Conquistadors scored on an error from NCF’s catcher. Lewis and Erick Rodriguez made their way around the bases on a single from second baseman Daniel Silgado. FNU ended up breaking the game open in the third, scoring two straight wins on walks and an incredible effort play from catcher Jeremy De La Cruz, who posted a three-RBI triple.
NCF was able to hang a two-RBI homer in the fifth before Rodriguez had the last run scored for FNU thanks to a single to right center from Silgado. Evan Dalmau put things away in the final inning, recording three strikeouts en route to a save.
Up Next: FNU is back on the road on March 29 versus Voorhees University to start a four-game series.
