UNC STRENGTH

By Brandon Petersen

AJ Quezada didn't just change his approach.

He changed what he sees.

And right now, "Unc" is seeing everything.

The Westcliff veteran stayed scorching hot at the plate Tuesday, driving in two runs and delivering another clutch performance in a 6-4 win over The Master's — a quality opponent and a game that carried weight beyond a typical nonconference matchup.

The difference?

A pair of glasses.

"He put on his binoculars and he's been seeing the ball really well," head coach Dylan Hoffman said. "He told me he's seeing it like a beach ball now."

Whatever the adjustment, it's working.

Quezada delivered one of the biggest swings of the day in the fourth inning, ripping an RBI double to right field to break a tie and give Westcliff the lead. He later added another RBI during the Warriors' decisive seventh-inning rally, continuing a stretch that has turned him into one of the most dangerous bats in the lineup.

"I mean, those are two of the hardest balls I've seen hit all season," Hoffman said. "So, it's really good to see him here at the right spot at the right time."

Westcliff (20-15) needed every bit of it.

Facing a disciplined Mustangs squad (22-17), the Warriors were locked in a tight battle through six innings. Ryan Duron opened the scoring with an RBI single in the first, but The Master's answered in the second and again in the sixth to keep things even.

That's when Westcliff flipped the game.

The Warriors erupted for four runs in the seventh inning, starting with a bases-loaded walk by Patrick Morgan. Duron followed with an RBI fielder's choice, and Jack Varney added a run-scoring double before Quezada capped the rally with a productive RBI groundout to make it 6-2.

On the mound, Chris Gonzalez delivered a strong start, allowing just one run over 5.1 innings. The bullpen navigated late pressure, with Justin Guzman and Cameron Witte (S) combining to close things out after a two-run homer in the eighth tightened the game.

Daniel Vendl picked up the win in relief.

For Hoffman, the win meant more than just another mark in the standings.

"Honestly, I'm trying to preach no days off," he said. "We just want to win. We want to show the teams that are good what we can be and what we're going to provide. The biggest thing, too — we want to move on each day like it's our last day."

That mindset showed.

And it wasn't just Quezada making noise.

Hoffman also pointed to Kolby Wagatsuma, who continues to re-emerge as a key contributor at the plate.

"I want to give a shout-out to Wagatsuma," Hoffman said. "He's been really electric for us this season. His bat's come hot again… now he's showing what he can do again. So we're really excited to have him back in the groove of things."

But on this night, the story started — and kept coming back — to "Unc."

A veteran with a family at home and a presence in the clubhouse, Quezada brings a different kind of edge to the lineup. And now, with a clearer view at the plate, that edge is turning into production.

The nickname fits.

So does the moment.

Because right now, AJ Quezada isn't just seeing the ball better.

He's carrying the Warriors with it.