UFTL Athletics
Chris Maple
AVE MARIA, Fla. – The University of Fort Lauderdale baseball team grabs the first win in school history on opening day. The Eagles defeated Ave Maria in come-back fashion with four runs in the top of the ninth inning to win 7-6 at Bowie’s Ballpark.
UFTL’s Chase Davis drove a two-run single in the ninth inning to seal himself in the UFTL Baseball record books for life, leading the Maroon-and-Gold to the victory.
Malichi Woodside’s hit-by-pitch and Tad Stockowski’s walk forced home the other two ninth inning runs for the Eagles.
Jacob Laroque pitched a scoreless ninth inning to earn his first save as an Eagle. Laroque, sit the Gyrenes down in order, recording two flyouts and a ground out. Caleb Rodriguez collected the first win in school history, throwing an inning. Rodriguez allowed a leadoff run before retiring AMU to close out the eighth.
AMU would get on the board first, scoring four runs on a grand slam in the bottom of the first inning.
UFTL would get their first two runs in the sixth inning when Woodside doubled in Justin Martinez, and then he would come around to score on a wild pitch.
In the bottom half of the sixth inning, Ave Maria would get a run back on a solo homerun to stretch their lead to 5-2.
The Maroon-and-Gold were able to push a run across the plate in the eighth inning on a Yabdiel Hernandez infield single to third that scored Aderlyn Cubilete, to trim the score to 5-3.
The Gyrenes would answer back again in the bottom half of the inning on the third Ethan Bergkamp homerun of the game. Bergkamp would be responsible for all six AMU runs on three homeruns.
Davis posted 2-for-4 day with two RBIs and a hit-by-pitch, while Woodside was 1-for-4, scored two runs, drove in two runs and was hit by a pitch.
Erik Scott went 1-for-4 with a run scored, Stockowski was 1-for-4 with an RBI and a walk and Drew Powell was 1-for-3 with a hit-by-pitch.
Hernandez and Christian Tavarez both collected a pinch-hit knock for the Maroon-and-Gold.
Jake Cace, Justin Frias and Lazaro Salazar stole a base on the day.
The Eagles will travel back to Ave Maria to close out the three-game series tomorrow, with the first game starting at 11 am at Bowie’s Ballpark.