JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Warner University Baseball established themselves as the team to beat in the NCCAA South Regional. The #2 seed Royals (28-24) took on the tough #3 seed Toccoa Falls Eagles (27-20) and now continue through the winner's bracket clawing the Eagles with a final score of 10-3. Warner advances to the semi-final game facing the #4 seed Brewton-Parker College Bruins May 9^th at 3:00 p.m.

GAME RECAP

The Royals offense went to work following up a tough pitching performance by Jarrett Joyner and Kody Smith. The pair threw 9 innings only surrendering 4 hits, 3 runs with 1 earned, 1 walk and 9 strike outs. Joyner improves to 6-2 on the season.

Bottom of the 2nd

Derek Deler rifled a sacrifice fly that got things started by scoring Cole Parks. With Alfred Brown hanging out at second base, Kevin Troncoso stepped in to the batter's box and smacked his 10^th homerun of the year picking up his 30^th and 31^st RBI's on the season. The Royals took a 3-0 lead.
 
Top of the 3^rd

It didn't take long for the Eagles to answer back scoring off an error and later a single for 2 RBI's tying the game at 3 apiece.

Bottom of the 4^th

The game remained tied up until the bottom of the 4^th inning when a Cal Sanelli double set up runners on second and third with no outs. The Royals then sent The Sun Conference Second Team All-Conference catcher, First Team NCCAA South Region catcher to the plate Mick Tinny who singled in Parks and broke the tie giving the Royals a 4-3 lead. Deler picked up another RBI singling in Sanelli for a 5-3 Royals lead.

Bottom of the 7^th

Xanders Vazquez drew a walk to start the bottom half of the inning. Rio Russell was plunked by a pitch sending him to first and moving Vazquez to second. The Eagles pitching struggled as they plunked Jesse Haney to load the bases full of Royals. No outs, bases loaded, the Royals 2018 Most Valuable Player and NCCAA First Team South Region infielder Junior Fermin stepped up. Fermin layed into just his 2^nd homerun of the season, first grandslam of his career, giving him the sole possession over fellow teammate Jesse Haney in RBI's with 44, Haney with 41. Off the 4-run blast, the Royals jumped out to a 9-3 lead.

Bottom of the 8^th

Just when you thought Junior Fermin had already had a game he would never forget, a sharp ingle ould send Russell home to score picking up Fermin's 45^th RBI.
The Royals went on to claim victory 10-3 over the Toccoa Falls College Eagles. Head coach Jeff Sikes said, "I was pleased with how the guys played after a 17 day layoff. Jarrett Joyner and Kody Smith pitched extremely well and we got a lot of quality at bats throughout our lineup."
Warner University Royals Baseball had five players named to the NCCAA South Regional First Team and also South Region Freshman of the Year.

2018 NCCAA First Team South Region

Mick Tinny, Catcher
Junior Fermin, 3^rd Base
Jarrett Joyner, Starting Pitcher
Anthony Torres, Relief Pitcher
Jaryd Clary, Starting Pitcher (Freshman of the Year)

ALL NCCAA SOUTH REGIONAL GAMES CAN BE WATCHED LIVE AT TBC Youtube Live