FIRST ROUND ROMP

By Brandon Petersen

Westcliff took care of what it had to Wednesday.

Now comes everything else.

The Warriors opened conference tournament play with a 17-7 win over Florida National, breaking open a tight game late at the Grizzlies Complex to advance to the next round.

But in a tournament where the path runs through No. 2-ranked Georgia Gwinnett, the message was clear:

This was step one.

Westcliff showed its offensive depth in the win, collecting 19 hits and turning a 5-5 game in the sixth inning into a runaway with two runs in the sixth, five in the seventh and five more in the eighth.

Nick Malvini led the effort with a 4-for-4 performance, scoring four times, while Ryan Duron added three hits, including a two-run home run that helped swing momentum back in Westcliff's favor in the fourth.

Ben Carter and AJ Quezada each added three hits as the Warriors applied pressure throughout the lineup.

On the mound, Brendon Demuth worked through early traffic, allowing three runs, just one earned, across 4.2 innings before the bullpen carried the game home.

Florida National kept pace through six innings, including a two-run sixth that tied the game at 5-5, but once Westcliff broke through, the separation was immediate.

The Warriors capitalized on walks, errors and timely hitting, turning a close game into a decisive result over the final three innings.

Now, the challenge shifts.

Westcliff will face the winner of Simpson and Georgia Gwinnett, the latter entering as one of the premier programs in the NAIA — a perennial national contender that has made seven straight World Series appearances and continues to set the standard at the top of the rankings.

For Westcliff, the opener was about advancement.

What comes next will be about proving they belong.