WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Mar. 2, 2025) - The Buena Vista baseball team played its first game of the spring trip on Sunday afternoon and used a pair of big home runs, including a solo shot from senior Joel Garcia in the 11th inning, to hold off St. John Fisher, 9-8, in 11 innings.

BVU trailed 5-2 heading to the eighth inning before scoring six times to take an 8-5 lead. Drew Taylor pulled the Beavers even at 5-5 with a three-run blast that scored both Garcia and Evan Taylor before tacking on three big insurance runs. St. John Fisher got two of those runs back in the bottom half with a two-run single and then tied the score in the ninth on a bases loaded walk. Johnny Vallinch got out of the jam with back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning.

The Beavers were sat down in order in their half of the 10th and St. John Fisher managed just one base runner on a hit by pitch in its half.

Garcia, who had a pair of timely home runs during the series with Bethany Lutheran to begin the year, came through in the clutch yet again with his third home run of the year to lead off the 11th inning. He would finish the game 5-for-6 at the plate with an RBI and three runs scored. Zach Pleggenhule came on in relief of Vallinch to begin the bottom half and pitched a perfect frame, including one strikeout to earn his first collegiate save.

Six other players added one hit for BVU, including a double from Kaden Struck. 

The two teams combined to strikeout 31 times in the game and stranded 18 runners.

Senior Morgan Smith pitched 5.2 innings and allowed three runs and five hits while striking out a season-high 10 and walking three. Sophomore Ean McDaniel worked the next 2.1 innings and was charged with four runs and allowed four hits.

St. John Fisher (2-2) got a pair of home runs from M. Cubello, who finished the game with three of the team's nine hits.

Buena Vista improves to 3-1 overall and will play Saint Mary's (MN) on Monday, Mar. 3, at 9 a.m. (EST).