GLENDALE, Calif. – In the opener of a California Pacific Conference (Cal Pac) baseball series, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.) built a 4-1 lead after six innings against Providence Christian and then held off a late rally by the Sea Beggars to score a 5-3 victory. Junior Cole Altherr (Tucson, Ariz.) started the game for the Eagles and struck out 11 in six innings to pick up the win.

Embry-Riddle got on the board quickly in the top of the first when it picked up singles from the first two hitters and then pushed a run across on a sac fly by junior Roberto Garza-Nunez (Salinas, Calif.). A passed ball let in another run in the fourth before a solo home run by junior Drew Barragan (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) in the fifth made it 3-0.

Providence Christian pushed across a run in the bottom of the fifth to make it a two-run game, but the Eagles answered in the top of the sixth when junior Owen Cain (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) led off with a double, eventually scoring on an error.

A two-run home run in the bottom of the eighth made it a one-run game at 4-3, but freshman Noah Tschopp (Las Vegas, Nev.) came out of the pen and shut down Providence Christian the rest of the way, striking out four in 1.2 innings and not surrendering a hit. ERAU struck for an insurance run in the ninth when Garza-Nunez singled and then came around to score on a double by Barragan.