ESCODIDO, Calif. – A three-run, pinch hit home run by junior Owen Cain (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) highlighted a five-run eighth inning that lifted Embry-Riddle to a 7-3 win over Saint Katherine in the first game of a California Pacific Conference baseball doubleheader.  The Firebirds came back to take a 12-0 win in game two.

Game 1

Both teams scored unearned runs in the first and it stayed tied until the fourth when Embry-Riddle picked up the lead when freshman Javier Izaguirre Jr. (Riverside, Calif.) singled in junior Luke Jepsen (Temecula, Calif.), who had led off the inning with a double.

Saint Katherine came back tie it with a single run in the fifth, and then took a 3-2 lead with another run in the seventh. The Eagles answered right away with what proved to be the winning runs in the top of the eighth when they scored five times. Junior Drew Barragan (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) tied the game with an RBI single before junior Jacob Aguirre (La Verne, Calif.) put ERAU on top with single that brought home Barragan. With two aboard and one out, Cain came up with his big blow for the Eagles to make it 7-3.

Sophomore Jonah Montes (Upland, Calif.) came out of the bullpen to wrap up the win for Embry-Riddle, shutting down the Firebirds over the final two innings, allowing just one hit.

Game 2

Saint Katherine scored six times in the first and saw its pitching hold Embry-Riddle to three this in its game two victory. The Firebirds picked up back-to-back home runs, the first a three-run shot, as they collected six hits in the frame on their way to the big, early lead.

Saint Katherine's offense generated runs in every inning except the sixth, with the Firebirds collecting two more round trippers among their 17 hits in the contest. Senior Travis Strickler (Glendale, Ariz.) picked up two of the three hits for the Eagles.