DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Several milestones can be reached this weekend when the NAIA No. 4 Embry-Riddle Eagles play host to the Sand Sharks of South Carolina Beaufort. The Eagles will be looking to clinch a berth into The Sun Conference tournament, needed just one win to do so. ERAU is also looking to give Head Coach
Randy Stegall his 100th Sun Conference victory in his fifth season as the skipper of the Blue and Gold.
The Eagles enter the weekend with a 31-9 overall record and a 16-2 mark in Sun Conference play, four games ahead of both USCB and St. Thomas (Fla.). Embry-Riddle is 8-3 all-time against the Sand Sharks, winning two of three games in every Sun Conference series the two teams have ever played, while also winning both contests the schools have played in The Sun Conference tournament. Last year, the Eagles suffered their first TSC loss at the hands of USCB in Beaufort, S.C. in the Friday night game, but managed to sweep the Saturday doubleheader as well as downing USCB in game one of the conference tournament.
The Eagles are owners of five straight victories, all being Sun Conference matchups. The offense has posted a .318 average in 40 games, collecting 422 hits, including 96 doubles (No. 2 in the nation), 10 triples and 20 homers. ERAU has an on-base percentage of .413 and a slugging percentage of .450; the team has drawn 190 walks with
Greg Smith leading the way with 29.
Smith, The Sun Conference Player of the Week, is second amongst Eagle starters with a .381 batting average, third on the squad with 37 runs scored and first on the team with 23 stolen bases. Joining Smith at the top of the production list is junior
Jeff Lemon and seniors
Frankie Arias and
Ian MacGeorge. Lemon has a .413 average in limited games played, but already has recorded 31 hits on the year. Arias and MacGeorge have combined for 107 hits, 26 doubles, six homers, 76 RBIs and 79 runs scored.
The Eagle pitching staff has once again joined the elite staffs in the nation, posting a 3.11 ERA over 335.1 innings of work, holding opponents to a .263 batting average against. Starters
Daniel Eaton,
Adam Paulencu and
Robbie Ratliff will most likely get the nods this weekend against USCB. Eaton is 4-2 with a 2.73 ERA in 11 appearances, while Paulencu brings a 4-1 record and 3.35 ERA to the weekend. Ratliff, a three-year Eagle player, boasts a 5-1 mark and a 3.55 ERA in 45.2 innings.
All three games this weekend will be live streamed via
Game Central.
