DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle softball team used an offensive barrage to claim a 9-0 victory in the nightcap of a doubleheader against Warner on Wednesday evening, splitting the twin bill after the Royals took the first game, 1-0.
 
The Eagles record moves to 8-16 on the season and 3-1 in conference play while Warner now sits at 10-13 overall and 2-2 in Sun Conference action.
 
Game 1 – WU 1, ERAU 0
 
The Blue and Gold struggled to get anything going offensively in game one, mustering just two baserunners in seven innings. Heather Knoop was dominant in the circle, facing only two batters over the minimum for the Royals.
 
Warner got on the board in the third inning when Sarah Kruysman singled with two outs to drive in Tiffani Upchurch with the game's only run.
 
Embry-Riddle got its first baserunner in the fifth inning when Robi Zimmerman singled to lead off the inning, breaking up Knoop's perfect game. Pinch runner Krizzy Menez stole second base, but couldn't advance any further as Knoop retired the next three Eagles in order.
 
Savannah Smith led off the bottom of the seventh with a bloop single and pinch runner Chanley Burge was able to move up to second on a sacrifice bunt and then advance to third base on a Zimmerman ground out. With the potential tying run just 60 feet away, Haleigh Lewis flied out to left field, ending the game.
 
Zimmerman (2-8) pitched all seven innings for ERAU, allowing just the one run on seven hits, walking two and striking out one.
 
Savannah Smith and Zimmerman were the only Eagles to earn hits off of Knoop; each finished the game 1-for-3.
 
Knoop needed just 60 pitches to throw the complete game shutout, allowing just two hits with no walks and one strikeout.
 
Knoop also went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Kruysman was 1-for-4 with the only RBI of the game. Upchurch finished 1-for-2 with a run scored, a sacrifice bunt and a walk.
 
Game 2 – ERAU 9, WU 0 (6 inn.)
 
The second game saw the Eagles' bats come to life beginning with a two-run home run off the bat of Ariel Brayer in the second inning, giving the home team a 2-0 lead.
 
The Blue and Gold added four more runs in the fourth, keyed by a two-out two-run double from Zimmerman.
 
Dee Espinosa reached on a fielding error with two outs in the fifth that allowed Burge to cross home plate to increase the lead to 7-0. Samantha Smith was stranded at third base with what could have been the game-ending run via the mercy rule.
 
The Eagles did activate the mercy rule in the bottom of the sixth when Lewis launched a 2-run home run that just sneaked by the left field foul pole in fair territory, putting ERAU ahead 9-0, which ended the game thanks to the mercy rule.
 
Alexis Estrada (6-5) threw a six-inning complete game shutout, giving up just three hits, walking none and striking out nine.
 
Lewis and Zimmerman each finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs while Brayer was 1-for-1 with two RBIs. Eight different Eagles scored in the game, led by Lewis' two runs.
 
Lindsey Martin (4-3) took the loss for Warner, going three innings, allowing three runs (one earned) on three hits with two walks and three strikeouts. Knoop came on in relief and was not nearly as effective as she was in game one, allowing four runs (two earned) on six hits in 1.2 innings of work.
 
Upchurch, Laura Lovell and Tabatha Martin each picked up one hit against Estrada.
 
The Eagles are right back at it tomorrow afternoon as they travel to Babson Park, Fla. for a 2 p.m. doubleheader at Webber International.