For the first time in school history, Embry-Riddle will play for a California Pacific Conference championship after beating Benedictine Mesa 9-4 on Thursday afternoon.  The Eagles will play at 12pm at Hohokam Stadium. 

ERAU scored six runs in the top of the second inning.  Luke Jepsen (Temecula, Calif.) started the inning with a single.  Kevin Fedoruk (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) then delivered a two run home run to put the Eagles up 2-0.  Blake Moore (San Ramon, Calif.) and Gavin Botts (Lake Forest, Calif.) both followed with singles to put runners at first and second.  With one out, Travis Strickler (Glendale, Ariz.) hit a single that Moore was able to score on.  A double by Drew Barragan (Trabuco Canyon, Calif.) brought home both Botts and Strickler.  Barragan scored the last run of the inning as he crossed the plate on a single by Roberto Garza-Nunez (Salinas, Calif.).  ERAU led 6-0 after the top of the second inning. 

Benedictine Mesa scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning and the Redhawks added a run in the 5^th and another in the 7^th to make the score 6-4. 

Embry-Riddle added three insurance runs in the top of the 9^th inning.  Barragan reached on a defensive mistake by BenU and moved to second on a single by Garza-Nunez.  Both runners advanced on a passed ball.  Fedoruk was intentionally walked to load the bases.  A single by Botts brought home both Barragan and Garza-Nunez.  The last run came in when Strickler was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.  ERAU held on for the 9-4 win.

Jesse Kaphing (Phoenix, Ariz.) pitched six innings giving up eight hits in his start.  Noah Tschopp (Las Vegas, Nev.) pitched the final three innings not giving up a hit and striking out four. 

Embry-Riddle will take the field again tomorrow at 12pm.