SURPRISE, ARIZ. - The Embry-Riddle baseball team played its first game against an in-state opponent on Thursday night, and it turned into a Wild West shootout against OUAZ at Surprise Stadium. The Eagles scored 11 of the game's first 16 runs, but relinquished a lead two different times as they fell 17-14 to the Spirit in game one of a three-game series.

All nine hitters in the ERAU lineup recorded a hit, and five different batters recorded three hits. Carson Ramocinski had the best average among Eagle hitters, going 3-4 with two walks.

Roberto Garza-Nunez was the biggest run producer, driving in four RBI with his three hits. The biggest contribution was his two-run blast to left field that bounced off the bullpen wall in the first inning.

Travis Strickler had three RBI with his trio of hits as well, including a two-run triple in the second inning to give ERAU a 3-0 lead. The Eagles eventually stretched that lead to 5-0 in the second, as Garza-Nunez singled home Strickler.

The Spirit pulled within one in the bottom half of the second, but the Eagles produced its biggest inning of the night in the top of the third. Embry-Riddle scored six runs on six hits, and scored four of those runs before recording an out.

After that point, OUAZ mounted its comeback, highlighted by a seven-run fourth inning. The Eagles briefly regained the lead in the top of the sixth inning, but the Spirit pulled back in front in the bottom of the seventh and did not allow ERAU to score again.

Aiden Vestbe drove in a pair of runs, and was one of seven players to drive in a run for Embry-Riddle. Luke Jepsen, Calvin Solie, Kevin Fedoruk and Bryson Ho each knocked in a run on the night.

Game two of the series is Friday evening at Surprise Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 5:00 p.m.