Lake Wales, FL- The Royals hosted the Eagles of Fort Lauderdale University in a non-conference bout.
Game 1
The Royals entered Friday with only two series left to go on the season. Warner (18-24) faced off against UFTL (30-11) on Good Friday, aiming to get back in the win column after a series loss to Keiser. Standout senior pitcher
Josh Kuhns toed the rubber for the 11
th time this season, carrying a 3-5 record with a sub four ERA. After a strong top half of the first from Kuhns, the Royals got the scoring gong early thanks to an RBI single from
Julian Figueroa scoring
Jhenzel Figueroa. The Royals tacked on another one shortly after with a double play plating
Diego Guevara. The Eagles would remain silent in the scoring column until the top of the third, when UFTL scored one on an RBI single. The Royals would not wait long to respond as they would tack on two more in home half of the inning. Doing damage once more was Ju. Figueroa, who, this time, crushed an opposite field two-run home run, stretching Warner's lead to three. This was all Kuhns needed as he would hit cruise control and keep the Eagles answerless at the plate. On the day Kuhns threw all seven innings, surrendering just one run on six hits, while striking out seven en route to his fourth win of the season. The damage done by Ju. Figueroa (2-3) and Jh. Figueroa (2-2) would be too much for the opposition to overcome. The Royals snag game one 4-3.
Game 2
After handing a loss to Fort Lauderdale in game one, game two would spell different results for both teams. Through the first four innings, it looked like we were paying witness to a pitcher's duel between southpaw
Noah Harsch (WU)and
Gabriel Rangel (UFTL). However, Fort Lauderdale would explode in the top of the fifth inning, scoring 11 runs on six hits and stranding two. This put the Royals in a hole they could not climb out of, and they fell to the Eagles 12-1 in game two. The lone bright spot for the Royals lineup in this one was
Raul Olivera who went (2-2) accounting for half the team's hits. This is a crushing blow for the Royals, but one they cannot dwell on as they take on the Eagles in more double header action on Saturday.
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Game 3
Senior Day Ceremony- Before the game the Royals took the time to honor their 16 seniors who have given their all for the team and the program. Apart of this, the starting nine for Warner featured an all-senior lineup to take on UFTL in game three of the series. The Eagles started the game off hot scoring two runs on two hits while capitalizing off a two Royal throwing errors. While it was good news early for UFTL, the same could not be said for the Royals as they would struggle to get anything going offensively.
Jefferey Almanzar started on the mound for the home team and would throw four innings giving up four runs on three hits while walking five and striking out six. A slow start on the mound and five Fort Lauderdale runs would be all she wrote in game three as the Royals drop their second straight to the visiting Eagles 5-0. Â
Game 4
Trailing 2-1 in the series, the Royals were in a now must-win predicament to split the series. Right hander
Austin Vakiener made his first collegiate start on the mound and was dialed in from the get-go. The Eagles tallied in one in the opening frame, but that would be all they got for the majority of this game. Guevarra would tie the game at one thanks to an RBI groundout that plated
Luis Cedeno. Fast forward to the bottom half of the sixth, Warner would finally break out of their offensive struggles and string at bats along. An RBI single from Cedeno would break the tie, just in time for third baseman
Horiam Santiago to bring in another one on a reached-on error. They were not done there, as they would tally their fourth run on an RBI single from Jh. Figueroa. Up 4-1, the Royals would send back out
Austin Vakiener who would run in to trouble but ultimately put away the Eagles for a complete game in his first ever start. Vakiener's final line consisted of seven innings giving up only three runs and striking out two. Offensively the Royals were led by Jh. Figueroa and Cedeno who would both tally multiple hits in the contest. The Royals take game four 4-3 and split the series at two apiece.
INSIDE THE GAME:Â Warner vs UFTL
FINAL:Â Royals 4, Eagles 1
RECORDS:Â Royals(19-24, 10-14), Eagles (30-12, 0-0,)
INSIDE THE GAME:Â Warner vs UFTL
FINAL:Â Royals 1, Eagles 12
RECORDS:Â Royals(19-25, 10-14), Eagles (31-12, 0-0,)
INSIDE THE GAME:Â Warner vs UFTL
FINAL:Â Royals 0, Eagles 5
RECORDS:Â Royals(19-26, 10-14), Eagles (32-12, 0-0,)
INSIDE THE GAME:Â Warner vs UFTL
FINAL:Â Royals 4, Eagles 3
RECORDS:Â Royals(20-26, 10-14), Eagles (31-13, 0-0,)
UP NEXT:
 The Royals are back in action Thursday when they travel to Miami Gardens to take on Florida Memorial University in Sun Conference play.
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