WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - After stunning top-seeded Southeastern on Thursday, the USCB baseball team carried its hot stretch, as it upended Webber International, 7-3, on Friday at FITTEAM Ballpark behind a stellar start from Blaize Minick.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Minick - eight innings, win, four hits, two earned runs, three walks, four strikeouts
Eamonn Collins - one inning, one hit, no runs, no walks, three strikeouts
Tavaris Terrell - 1-for-4, two RBIs
Nick Milhan - 1-for-3, two RBIs
Alexander Humphrey - 1-for-2, one RBI, one run
Brian Meyer - 1-for-2, one RBI, one run
Kyran Russ - 1-for-3, two runs
Clint Sellers and Leandy Castro - three combined runs
HOW IT HAPPENED
To start the game, Webber International and USCB exchanged one run each. Dominque Collie Jr. connected with a sacrifice fly for WIU, while Meyer poked the RBI single for USCB to tie the game at 1-1.
In the top of the second, the Warriors regained the lead, 2-1, with a solo run.
After holding WIU scoreless for the first time, USCB's offense erupted for a four-run third inning. Sellers started the frame with a hit-by-pitch, and Russ reached base on a fielder's choice to put two runners on base. Humphrey smacked a single to right to tie the game at 2-2. To force the bases loaded, Meyer walked, and Milhan poked a run-scoring single to plate Russ and take the one-run lead, 3-2. To cap off the inning, Terrell cracked a two RBI single to push the lead to three, 5-2.
To continue its unanswered stretch, the Sand Sharks added on two more runs to take the commanding 7-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Humphrey scored Sellers off an error, and Milhan capped off the scoring with a bases-loaded walk to make the game, 7-2.
The two offenses struggled for the next three innings, as a runner didn't reach scoring position until the eighth inning.
The Warriors tried to mount a comeback in the top of the ninth, but their rally was cut short, as WIU only plated one run. To end the frame, Collins struck out the final batter to win the game, 7-3.
TEAM RECORD UPDATES
No. 6 USCB - 29-19 overall
No. 3 Webber International - 28-24 overall
WHAT'S NEXT?
No. 6 USCB will continue in the Sun Conference Tournament, as it will play No. 5 Warner on Saturday, May 8 at 11 a.m. The postseason contest will be held at FITTEAM Ballpark.