Embry-Riddle Takes Down NAIA No. 1 Lewis-Clark State in World Series, 10-7
LEWISTON, Idaho - The NAIA No. 7 Embry-Riddle Eagles notched one of the biggest wins in program history with a come-from-behind 10-7 victory over NAIA No. 1 Lewis-Clark State Warriors on Tuesday of the 2010 Avista-NAIA World Series. The Eagles (47-18) ended LCSC's season as the Warriors finished 48-5 overall.
The win was the first over a NAIA No. 1 ranked team by the ERAU baseball team and it came against the 16-time NAIA National Champions on their home field. The Blue and Gold staged a dramatic comeback after falling behind 5-0 after the first half-inning. ERAU never relented in their attack, scoring runs in four straight innings from the second through fifth innings, including tying the game in the fourth with four runs.
The Eagles sent Ryan Vigue to the hill to face the top team in the country, but the junior lefty could only manage to record two outs before Austin Quinn entered to relieve him. Vigue allowed three runs on three hits and two wild pitches in his short outing. Unfortunately for ERAU, Quinn wasn't able to stop the bleeding immediately, as he gave up a three-run homer to Brian Gaylord, which ran the score to 5-0 in favor of the Warriors.
The Eagles had a chance to get a run or two back in their half of the first inning when both freshman Tyler Robbins and freshman Jeff Lemon reached base to begin the frame. A strikeout, a fielder's choice and a pick off from LCSC's starter Cody Fassold ended the Eagle threat and sent the Warriors to the plate.
Quinn worked fast in the second, setting down the three Warrior batters he faced in order, including a strikeout to end the inning.
Embry-Riddle again put their leadoff batter aboard in the second inning when Austin Goolsby reached first on an error by LCSC shortstop Josh Ashenbrenner. After a fly-out and a groundout J.T. Warmoth singled back up the middle to score Goolsby's courtesy runner, Saul Meza, from second and cut the deficit to 5-1.
Lewis-Clark got their sixth run of the game in the third inning after loading the bases with one out. Quinn was relived by Phillip Reamy during the inning, and after surrendering an infield single, Reamy struck out the last two Warrior hitters to strand the three runners on the bags.
The Blue and Gold loaded the bases themselves in the third, but managed to score just once and make the score 6-2. After Robbins and Lemon both grounded out to start the frame, Steve Sabins hit a double to left center and Branden Roper-Hubbert singled to the third baseman Brian Burke. After Goolsby was hit by a pitch to load the bags, Aaron Glaum's infield single, ERAU's second of the inning, brought home Sabins. Keaton Stroud battled Fassold to a full count before flying out to left field to end the inning.
Reamy looked strong in the fourth, striking out one and getting a fly-out and groundout to bring the Eagles back to the dish.
The Eagles made it a brand new ball game in the home half of the fourth, scoring four runs on four hits and one error. Mike Jutkiewicz started the rally with an infield single after Warmoth fouled-out down the right field line to start the inning. Robbins doubled into the right field corner to put runners on second and third for Lemon. Lemon reached on a fielding error by Ashenbrenner as Jutkiewicz scored and Robbins moved to third. Sabins hit a 2-2 pitch to the left fielder that was deep enough to score Robbins from third base in the next at-bat. Roper-Hubbert then tied the game up with his 11th home run of the year to knot the score at 6-6.
Reamy continued to work well in the fifth, allowing just a single through the left side before getting a groundout to end the frame. Randy Stegall's squad took their first lead of the contest in the fifth off a Robbins' groundout. Stroud drew a leadoff walk and then advanced to second on a bunt off the bat of Warmoth. Warmoth reached on the fielder's choice as the throw went to second with Stroud reached safely. Jutkiewicz moved both runners over with his own sacrifice bunt. Robbins then grounded out to the second baseman, but it was enough to bring Stroud home from third.
Reamy got some help from his defense to get out of a jam in the next Warrior inning. With runners on first and third with one out, Reamy got Pat Murray to pop up to first base for the second out. Brian Burke lined a 1-2 pitch hard up the middle, but a diving catch by Robbins at shortstop saved a run and preserved the one-run lead for ERAU.
ERAU sent four hitters to the plate in the sixth, but a throw from Emsley-Pai to the second baseman Anguiano caught Meza stealing and ended the frame.
Reamy again did a great job of getting out of trouble in the seventh, getting a strikeout and a long flyball to right field to end the inning with runners on first and second.
Embry-Riddle scored again in the bottom of the seventh off a Jutkiewicz sacrifice fly to the right fielder. Glaum, who had reached on an infield single and then advanced to second on a Stroud single to right center. Warmoth bunted for a hit down the right field line to load the bags for Jutkiewicz.
With two outs in the eighth, Lewis-Clark scored their first run since the third on a Murray home run to straight away center. After a Burke double off the wall in left center, Reamy got his biggest strikeout of the season when he fanned catcher Emsley-Pai on a 3-2 fastball to end the Warrior eighth.
The Blue and Gold added some insurance in their half of the eighth when Sabins smacked his 10th homer of the season to score John Libretti and himself. Libretti was pinch running for Lemon after Lemon was hit by a pitch. Sabins' long ball gave ERAU a 10-7 lead.
Gaylord, the Warrior who hit a three-run homer earlier in the game, came up first for LCSC in the ninth and grounded out 3-1 for the first out in the ninth. Gino Casini was retired for the first time all night when he hit a long fly ball to Jutkiewicz on the warning track in center field. Reamy recorded the final out of the game with a weak pop up from pinch hitter Trent Bridges to Warmoth at second base.
Reamy pitched his longest outing of the year, going 6.2 strong innings, allowing just one run (his first of the year) on six hits with six strikeouts. He moves to 5-0 overall with the win, throwing 90 pitches in the process.
The Embry-Riddle defense had their best game in two months, not committing an error for the first time in 17 games, dating back to Apr. 23.
Sabins finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored, including his 10th homer, the third Eagle to reach double-digit bombs this season. Roper-Hubbert had two RBIs on a 2-for-4 day while Glaum and Warmoth both had two hits apiece.
With the win the Eagles can count themselves as one of the four best teams in the nation and will face No. 4 Lee on Wednesday at 3 p.m. (PDT).