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Florida Memorial University Athletics

Scoreboard

FMU player
David Badia | SportsMediaDB
9
Winner Edward Waters EDWARD W 27-27
8
Fla. Memorial FLA. MEM 25-22
Winner
Edward Waters EDWARD W
27-27
9
Final
8
Fla. Memorial FLA. MEM
25-22
Score By Periods
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Edward Waters EDWARD W 1 3 4 0 0 0 0 0 1 9 11 2
Fla. Memorial FLA. MEM 0 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 2 8 8 1

W: W. Valenti (0-0) L: Briceno, Samuel (0-0) S: C. Chastain ()

Game Recap: Baseball | | J.T. Wilcox, Sports Information Director

Lions Baseball Rally Comes Up Short, Falls In NAIA Bracket Final At Black College World Series

MONTGOMERY, Ala. – Trailing by three runs heading to the bottom of the ninth inning, Florida Memorial University strung together a couple hits and hit a couple sacrifice flies to produce two runs and cut its deficit to one but saw its hopes dashed with the potential go-ahead run at the plate as the game ended on a strikeout – sealing a 9-8 loss to rival Edward Waters University in the NAIA Bracket final at the 2022 Tyson Foods Black College World Series Saturday morning at Riverwalk Stadium.
 
The No. 1 seed Florida Memorial entered the game – which was scheduled for a 9 p.m. start but didn't begin until 10:30 p.m. – unbeaten after winning its first two games while EWU had to battle its way to the bracket final from the loser's bracket as the tournament was operating with a double elimination format. Under a double elimination format, FMU would have had to be beaten twice to be eliminated, However, tournament officials elected to change the format and made the bracket finals a single elimination game – allowing Edward Waters to advance to the BCWS Championship game by defeating the Lions once.
 
How It Happened
  • FMU trailed 9-6 heading into the ninth inning and cut into the deficit when Axel Gomez reached with a single to left field and Yunior Sanchez brought him home on the next at-bat with a RBI double to right field.
  • Luis Ruiz hit a sac-fly to move Sanchez over to third and Fernando Vila brought him home with a sac-fly – making it a 9-8 game.
  • Catcher Luis Velandia drew a walk on the ensuing batter to represent the tying run.
  • Lions head coach Florentino Burgos elected to bring in Jamal Johnson to pinch hit, but Johnson struck out swinging to end the game.
  • Edward Waters scored runs in each of the first three innings, including a three-run output – all coming on a home run – in the top of the second and a four-run effort in the third.
  • Florida Memorial trailed 8-4 after the third inning and only produced single runs in sixth and seventh innings.
 
Inside The Box Score
  • Ulises Rodriguez and Vila each had 2 hits. Vila finished 2-for-4 with a run scored and tied for the game-high 3 RBI. Rodriguez went 2-for-5 with a run scored.
  • Ruiz went 1-for-4 with 2 runs scored. Ruiz's lone hit was a triple.
  • Florida Memorial recorded 8 total hits while EWU had 11.
  • Samuel Briceno got the start for the Lions and ended up throwing 1.1 inning – allowing 4 hits and 4 runs.
  • Joseph Figueroa threw 5.2 innings in relief and recorded a game-high 8 strikeouts.
 
Analysis & Notes
  • The game began Friday and ended early Saturday morning, with the final out being recorded until 3 a.m.
  • Florida Memorial had 10 left on base.
  • Friday's game was the sixth meeting between FMU and Edward Waters this season. FMU went 4-2 in those games, and both loses were by one run.
  • Figueroa's appearance on the mound Friday was his first of the season.
  • The Lions end their season 25-22 overall.
  • EWU improved to 27-27 overall and will face NCAA Division-II Kentucky State University in the BCWS Championship game Saturday.
 
Follow Florida Memorial University Athletics on social media
Instagram: @GoFMULions/@LionsFMUBaseball | Twitter: @GoFMULions/@BaseballFMU | YouTube: Official FMU Lions
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