Warriors Fly Past Eagles in Prescott
Multiple key contributors lead from the dish
The Nelson Warriors' baseball team (15-20) picked up a big road win due to several key contributors at the dish, defeating the Embry-Riddle Eagles 14-10 in Prescott, AZ.
The Warriors exploded out of the gate, building a commanding 10-0 lead through just 3.5 innings after Nelson scored twice in the second when Josue Franco Jr. singled in Adrian Nunez, followed by an Aaron Bazan single that drove in Gannon Aguilar. Later in the inning, with two runners on, Brandon Ramirez hit a ball back to the pitcher, who couldn't handle it, allowing two more runs to score. Gannon Aguilar then delivered the big blow blasting a three-run home run that pushed the lead to 6-0.
The Warriors kept the pressure on in the fourth, loading the bases once again and sending all nine men to the plate. The scoring started when Franco singled to drive in Nunez, before Bazan followed with a two-run double to left field and Gerardo Paco grounded into a fielder's choice that scored Franco, making the score 10-0.
Embry-Riddle fought back with two runs in the bottom of the fourth and three more in the fifth, but Nelson never allowed the game to get too close. The Warriors added an insurance run in the seventh when Aguilar drove in Trenton Wright Jr. with a fielder's choice. Embry-Riddle scored three in the bottom of the seventh, but NCCAA Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week, presented by Athletic Solutions! Ethan Gustafson answered in the top of the eighth with a two-run home run, his team-leading 13th of the season and 54th RBI, to restore a comfortable margin.
Esteban Acevedo closed the door in the ninth, shutting down the Eagles to secure the 14-10 victory.
Brandon Ramirez and Aaron Bazan led the way with 3 hits each, while Aguilar and Aaron Bazan each drove in a team-high 3 RBI.
The Warriors tallied 16 hits in the victory while walking a remarkable 10 times to only 7 strikeouts.
See the Nelson Warriors' baseball page for their upcoming schedule.
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