Eagles Take Down #13 MidAmerica Nazarene

After scoring early and often in Thursday's baseball game, on Friday Embry-Riddle didn't score until a six run 5^th inning propelled ERAU to a 10-4 win over #13 MidAmerica Nazarene in Glendale on Friday afternoon. 

Neither team scored any runs until the 4^th inning when MidAmerica Nazarene jumped out in front of the Eagles with a three run homerun.  In the bottom of the 4^th, Jesse Kaphing (Phoenix, Ariz.) came into pitch for ERAU and was able to strand the two Pioneer runners to keep the score at 3-0 MNU. 

In the bottom of the 5^th the Embry-Riddle offense erupted for six runs on six hits.  Jacob Aguirre (La Verne, Calif.) began the inning with a walk.  ERAU then got back to back singles by Owen Cain (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and Javier Izaguirre Jr. (Riverside, Calif.) to load the bases.  Miles Murphy (Goodyear, Ariz.) picked up the first Eagle RBI when he was walked to score Aguirre and make the score 3-1.  The next four Eagles up to bat all recorded hits as Gavin Botts (Lake Forest, Calif.) singled, Travis Strickler (Glendale, Ariz.) doubled, Drew Barragan (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) singled, and Roberto Garza-Nunez (Salinas, Calif.) singled.  Botts earned one RBI on his hit and Strickler and Barragan each earned two on theirs.  After the Embry-Riddle half of the 5^th, the score was 6-3.

Errors plagued ERAU in the top of the 6^th and the Pioneers capitalized on the Eagle mistakes to score another run and make the score 6-4. 

Izaguirre Jr. hit a single down the left field line to start the bottom of the 6^th for Embry-Riddle.  Kaden Menard (Meridian, Idaho) pinch ran for Izaguirre and was able to get into scoring position by stealing second.  Menard scored on an error by the Pioneers that allowed Murphy to reach first.  Barragan hit his second home run of the season in as many days to give ERAU a 9-4 advantage after the 6^th inning. 

Embry-Riddle picked up an insurance run when Luke Jepsen (Temecula, Calif.) scored on another single by Izaguirre Jr. in the bottom of the 7^th inning. 

Cole Altherr (Tucson, Ariz.) started the game and pitched four innings, striking out seven Pioneers.  Kaphing earned the win as the pitcher for ERAU and Zach Sharp (Olympia, Wash.) pitched a solid inning in relief as he had a 1-2-3 inning for the Eagles. 

Embry-Riddle will play two games toomorrow at Sunnyslope High School with the first beginning at 2pm against Oklahoma Panhandle State.