LEWISTON, Idaho - Embry-Riddle will make its sixth Avista-NAIA World Series semifinal appearance on Wednesday after a thrrilling, 6-5 win over eighth-seeded Concordia (Calif.) in an elimination contest on Tuesday afternoon at Harris Field. ERAU will advance to take on host Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) tomorrow at either 3:05 p.m. (PT) or 6:35 p.m. (PT) on ESPN3 depending on whether the Warriors win or lose in Tuesday's nightcap against Faulkner (Ala.)
The Eagles (41-18) eliminated Concordia (50-18) from the 10-team event on a bizarre run-down play in the top of the ninth after an Eagle error allowed a run to score. Leading 6-4 entering the ninth,
Corey Tufts gave up a leadoff walk followed by a single that pushed the lead runner to third, and when the throw came in from right, the runner at first advanced to second to put the tying run in scoring position. Tufts struck out Neil Lawhorn looking before getting Bornhop to swing and miss at strike three for the second out. Shiroky took a 1-2 pitch and drove it to
Jake Cavender at short where the Eagle shortstop misplayed it, allowing the lead runner to score from third, but as the runner at second rounded third, he was caught in no-man's land as Cavender fired to
Enderson Velasquez at third who then threw to
Ryan Maxon at home and when Esser tried to go back to third base, Maxon tossed the ball to Cavender who tagged the runner for the final out of the game.
Embry-Riddle sent
Stetson Nelson to the mound and he worked around a pair of walks in the top of the first to send the game to the home-half of the frame without any runs scoring.
Nelson's offense struck first as Velasquez connected on his second home run of the season, a three-run shot to straight-away center, scoring both
Tobias Moreno and
Liam Goodall for a 3-0 lead against Orellana.
Again Nelson had to get himself out of a jam he created after a walk and hit batter put the first two runners on base for Concordia. A strikeout followed by a shallow fly ball and a softly hit liner ended the threat as ERAU held a three-run lead.
Hunter Bruehl continued his torrid World Series with a leadoff home run to right to start the bottom of the second, making it 4-0 Embry-Riddle, and after Boyett relieved Orellana,
Cody Bogart registered his first extra-base hit of the season with a double to left center. A passed ball allowed Bogart's courtesy runner
Kyle Zirbes to move to third and Moreno brought him in with a sacrifice fly to center as ERAU enjoyed a 5-0 advantage.
Nelson and Boyett matched scoreless third innings and Nelson's no-hitter was broken up by Bornhop in the fourth when he singled to right. A walk, sac bunt and groundout scored the first run for Concordia, but Nelson made a nice play on a bunt by John Doering to retire the side and keep the lead at 5-1.
Neither team threatened in the fourth, but a Concordia run in the sixth came with no hits being recorded, making it 5-2 in favor of Embry-Riddle.
Bruehl once again came through with a clutch base hit in the last of the sixth, driving in
Joshua Garcia from second on his single to right, resulting in a 6-2 score for the Eagles.
Clayton Wagner came in for Nelson in the seventh, working around two hit batters to retire the side with three consecutive ground outs, but he was chased in the eighth inning after two runs scored on three hits, including back-to-back doubles from Leite and Doering. Tufts took over and got Goodman to fly out to left to end the inning as ERAU clung to a 6-4 lead before the excitement of the ninth allowed Embry-Riddle to survive and advance.
Nelson (11-4) got the win for the Eagles, allowing two runs on just one hit with three strikeouts while Tufts earned his first save of the year in 1.1 innings of work.
Velasquez finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored, while both Goodall and Bruehl finished with two hits and a run scored; Bruehl also drove in a pair.
The final four games of the World Series can be found on ESPN3.com. Check with your cable television provider for details on viewing games.
