DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - In a game that featured just about everything you could witness in a baseball contest the NAIA No. 7 Embry-Riddle Eagles defeated the No. 10 Bellevue Bruins, 9-5. The Eagles improve their overall record to 10-3 while the Bruins fall to 3-2.
Ryan Vigue made his first start of the season for ERAU and looked to be in for a rough outing. After BU's Matt Kabele drew a walk he advanced to third on a throwing error by Vigue then scored on a wild pitch to give the Bruins the early 1-0 lead. After two more Bellevue players reached the base path Vigue settled down and ended the inning by striking out Andrew Robbins.
The Eagles evened the score in the bottom of the second inning as Alex Guzman reached first by wearing a pitch then advanced to second on a wild pitch before advancing to third on a passed ball. Redshirt freshman Keaton Stroud came through with an RBI single to second base to score Guzman and knot the score at one apiece.
Vigue stymied the Bellevue hitters for the next three innings, allowing just three hits during the span. Vigue got out of a jame in the fifth after giving up three straight singles to Bruin hitters. J.T. Warmoth made a tremendous diving play at second base to start a 4-6-3 double-play to end the Bellevue threat.
The Blue and Gold got a huge boost in the home half of the fourth inning when Austin Goolsby lead off with a shot over the left field wall that was called fair by the home plate umpire. The homer would be the match that sparked a fire in more ways than one.
Bellevue scored two, two-out runs in the sixth inning to grab the advantage back from ERAU 3-2. However, the Eagles struck back with three runs in the bottom of the sixth to see-saw the lead back to the hosts.
Stroud began the Eagle's offense with a single up the middle, and after Saul Meza came in to pinch run for Stroud, Meza scored on a triple to right center by Warmoth. Warmoth lated scored on a Dane Beaudette bunt to the pitcher. Beaudette beat out the throw and advanced to second when Mike Jutkiewciz earned a base on balls. Beaudette moved to third base and then scored on a Steve Sabins' single through the left side to give ERAU a 5-3 lead.
Not to be out-done, the Bruins crossed the plate twice in the top of the seventh to again steal the lead back from the Eagles.
The bottom of the seventh proved to be the difference as ERAU scored three more runs to take the lead for good.
After Guzman was hit by a pitch and Aaron Glaum walked, Guzman was caught in a run down between second and third base. However, obstruction was called on the Bruins' shortstop. That call was the final straw for Bellevue skipper Mike Evans who ran out to argue the call and was subsequently ejected. Following the ejection, Guzman scored on a throwing error by the Bellevue pitcher. Glaum then advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on a wild pitch. Jutkiewicz got an RBI for a sacrifice fly to the right fielder and the Eagles took the 8-5 lead into the eight inning.
After two Eagle errors put two Bellevue runners on base, Corey Bevis, who releived Vigue in the seventh inning, struck out Kabele to end the inning.
Embry-Riddle added an insurance run in the eight inning before Bevis struck out the side in the ninth to give the Eagles the win.
Vigue pitched 6.1 innings, allowing 11 hits and giving up five runs while striking out seven Bellevue batters. Bevis was credited with the win (1-0) after pitching 2.2 innings and only walking one Bruin while not allowing a hit or a run.
Beaudette finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and run scored for ERAU, Stroud ended the game 2-for-3 with an RBI, as the Eagles pounded out 10 hits as a team with seven RBIs and four stolen bases.
The Eagles will play host to both the Siena Heights Saints (Mich.) and St. Xavier Cougars (Ill.) tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively.