Areizaga’s Late Blast Lifts Miami Dade Past FSW, 5-4
Miami, FL - Miami Dade delivered when it mattered most, walking it off in dramatic fashion to take down Florida SouthWestern State College, 5-4, on a two-run home run in the bottom of the seventh.
The Sharks erased a late deficit and closed out the game in style, using timely hitting and lockdown relief pitching to secure the win.
Florida SouthWestern struck first in the opening inning on a solo home run, but Miami Dade quickly responded. In the second, the Sharks capitalized on early momentum as Miguel Colmenares drove in the tying run before Rene Ramirez Jr. followed with a sacrifice fly to give MDC a 2-1 lead. The offense stayed aggressive in the third when Willy Mendez lined an RBI double to center, extending the advantage to 3-1.
The Buccaneers fought back midway through the game. A solo shot in the fourth cut the deficit to one, and a two-run single in the fifth flipped the game, putting FSW back on top, 4-3.
From there, the Sharks bullpen took control. Luis Lorenzo was dominant out of relief, tossing 2.1 scoreless innings while allowing no hits and striking out four to keep Miami Dade within striking distance.
That setup proved crucial in the seventh.
After a leadoff walk sparked the rally, Adrian Areizaga stepped to the plate and delivered the defining moment of the night. The sophomore launched a two-run home run, scoring pinch-runner Antonio Fawcett and sending the Sharks dugout into a frenzy as Miami Dade completed the walk-off comeback.
Areizaga led the offense with three hits and two RBI, while Mendez and Colmenares each contributed key run-producing moments earlier in the game.
On the mound, Xavier Pelzer battled through 4.2 innings with seven strikeouts before Lorenzo shut the door to earn the win.
