Baseball 3/26/2021 1:11:00 PM J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

Lions Ready For Tough Weekend Series At No. 25 Webber International

AT A GLANCE
FMU Lions (10-13, 3-9) at No. 25 Webber International Warriors (19-13, 8-4)
When: Friday-Saturday, March 26-27, 2021
Where: Webber International, Babson Park, Fla. | Heart of Florida Field
First Pitch: Friday, 6 p.m. | Saturday, 12 p.m.
Last Meeting: March 16, 2019, Won 6-4
Live Stream: Link
Live Stats: Link

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – As the 2021 season rapidly wanes, Florida Memorial University knows that its postseason prospects will do the same if it doesn't turn the tides – something it can do this weekend when it travels to Babson Park, Florida to take on No. 25 Webber International University in a three-game weekend series beginning Friday.

The Lions will play a single game Friday at 6 p.m. at WIU's Heart of Florida Field then play the doubleheader against the Warriors Saturday beginning at 12 p.m.

Coincidentally, Florida Memorial University's beach volleyball team will also be in Babson Park this weekend for the Sun Conference Beach Volleyball Championship Tournament.

Webber International's fan attendance policy still only allows for its own faculty, staff, and students to attend games while prohibiting outside or visiting fans. The weekend's baseball games will be streamed live online and can be viewed for free.

Florida Memorial (10-16, 3-9 The Sun Conference) enters the weekend hungry for a victory – having dropped its past six games. Offensively, the Lions have been fair (averaging just under 4 runs per game in that span), but they've been hamstrung by the having to operate with a shorthanded pitching staff.

Senior ace Johnaikel Acosta missed nearly six weeks with an upper extremity injury, made a brief return to the mound this past weekend, then had to leave the game after not even a full inning worth of work due to discomfort in the same area of his previous injury.

Krystian Negron and Arturo Pena both missed time due to injury this season while Rafael Fernandez missed a potential start due to personal reasons.

Hard-throwing freshman Dawrin Ruiz has had some flashes of brilliance this season but is still working to consistently hit his spots with his pitches.

In order to snap the losing skid, the Lions will have to upend a Webber International team that is ranked nationally in the NAIA but has only won four of its past 10 games. The Warriors' run production has been down – scoring more than five runs just twice in the past 10 games – and perhaps could have another down weekend against the Lions.

Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@LionsFMUBaseball | Twitter: @GoFMULions/@BaseballFMU | YouTube: Official FMU Lions

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Players Mentioned

#14 Johnaikel Acosta: RHP; 5' 10"; Sophomore

#19 Rafael Fernandez: LHP; 5' 9"; Senior

#21 Krystian Negron: RHP; 6' 3"; Senior

#23 Arturo Pena: RHP; 6' 2"; Sophomore

#43 Dawrin Ruiz: RHP; 6' 2"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#14 Johnaikel Acosta
: 5' 10"; Sophomore
: RHP

#19 Rafael Fernandez
: 5' 9"; Senior
: LHP

#21 Krystian Negron
: 6' 3"; Senior
: RHP

#23 Arturo Pena
: 6' 2"; Sophomore
: RHP

#43 Dawrin Ruiz
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: RHP

Florida Memorial University Athletics

Scoreboard

Players Mentioned

Players Mentioned