Once again, Embry-Riddle split their games as they beat the #24 ranked Thunderbirds of British Columbia 6-4 before dropping the second game 16-5 to Hope International. 

Game 1

ERAU scored first today as Travis Strickler (Glendale, Ariz.) started the game with a leadoff double.  He advanced to third on a groundout by Miles Murphy (Goodyear, Ariz.) and scored on a single from Drew Barragan (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.). 

The Eagles added to their lead in the top of the third inning as once again Strickler started the inning with a single.  Murphy followed with a single and Strickler scored on an error by the centerfielder to put ERAU up 2-0.  

The Thunderbirds scored one run in the bottom of the 5^th inning and added another in the bottom of the 6^th to make the score 2-2 heading into the 7^th inning. 

Embry-Riddle added two runs in the bottom of the 7^th as Javier Izaguirre Jr. (Riverside, Calif.) led off the inning with a single to centerfield.  Blake Moore (San Ramon, Calif.) then hit a double to advance pinch runner Kaden Menard (Meridian, Idaho) to third. Menard scored on a passed ball and Moore then advanced to third.   The fourth Eagle run was scored on a sac fly by Strickler as ERAU went up 4-2. 

In the top of the 8^th inning, the Eagles added two more runs.  Barragan started the inning with a single to left field and Roberto Garza-Nunez (Salinas, Calif.) hit a double to move Barragan over to third.  Barragan scored on a wild pitch by the Thunderbirds and Izaguirre Jr. plated Garza-Nunez on his second single of the day. 

UBC scored two runs in the bottom of the 8^th, but Embry-Riddle went on to win the game 6-4. 

Cole Altherr (Tucson, Ariz.) pitched well for six innings scattering four hits.  Jonah Montes (Upland, Calif.) earned the win for the Eagles and Noah Tschopp (Las Vegas, Nev.) picked up the save. 

Game 2

In the second game of the day, Travis Strickler (Glendale, Ariz.) picked up right where he left off in game one with a single and then stole second.  He advanced to third on a fly out to right field by Javier Izaguirre Jr. (Riverside, Calif.) and was able to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead when he scored on a wild pitch. 

ERAU scored again in the bottom of the second inning when Luke Jepsen (Temecula, Calif.) led off the inning with a single and Jacob Aguirre (La Verne, Calif.) hit a double to bring in Jepsen. 

Hope International took the lead in the bottom of the second as they scored three runs on two hits. 

In the top of the third inning, the Eagles scored two more runs to go back into the lead with the score 4-3.  Strickler reached first on an error and advanced to second on a sac bunt by Izaguirre Jr.  Strickler scored on a single by Roberto Garza-Nunez (Salinas, Calif.).  Aguirre then had his second hit of the game that scored Drew Barragan (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) who had reached earlier in the inning on a walk. 

Once again the Embry-Riddle lead didn't last long though as the Royals scored five runs in the bottom of the third and took an 8-4 lead into the fourth inning. 

Hope scored two more runs in the 4^th, five in the 5^th, and another in the 6^th, as they went on to win the game 16-5.

Embry-Riddle will play an exhibition game tomorrow at Chapman and will return home and head to Phoenix on Tuesday to play a midweek game against Arizona Christian.