Warriors Push Past Park

The Nelson Warriors baseball team clubbed their way past Park University Buccaneers on Tuesday night, 9-7, behind solid pitching and timely hitting. After a solid start from Matthew Schulz (4inn., 5H, 3ER, 2BB, 3K), freshman Deondre Collier relieved his starter, allowing only 1H and 2BB, striking out 2 and not allowing an earned run for his first-career victory.

After a 1-2-3 top of ther first, the Warriors offense jumped on Park pitching beginning with a Gannon Aguilar 2-run RBI single, driving in AJ Estill and Samuel Hess. After the Buccs got one run back in the top of the second, the Warriors manufactured a run the hard way when Eric Thomas Jr. walked, then stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and eventually scored on a Justin Stockton infield ground out. Hess followed the scoring play up with a double down the right field line, before being driven in a batter later on an Aguilar single down the first base line.

In the fourth, the first four Warriors batters reached base, and eventually four runs crossed the plate to stretch their lead to 8-3.

Despite the Buccaneers scoring four times in the 7th, the Warriors kept the pressure on their opponents with their final run in the 6th, holding off their opponents for their fifth win on the season. Finishing 2-5, Manny Frias-Moreno stretched his team-high hitting-streak to six games. With a single to help start the fourth inning rally, Estill (1-3, 2BB), stretched his own personal hitting-streak to five.

Up next for Nelson is a four-game series at Providence Christian played in two double-headers on February 21, and 22.

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