DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. –The seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle baseball team used a six-run fifth inning and a solid performance from a quartet of pitchers, led by Jon Rapose, to sweep the 17th-ranked Bellevue Bruins in their two-game series. Embry-Riddle (13-3) got 5.2 solid innings from starter Rapose, before relievers Dylan Demarest, Eric Green and Ronnie Lozada helped contain the Bruins (6-4-1).

The Blue and Gold jumped all over Bruins starter Kody McFarland as Jeff Lemon doubled to right-center, scoring Kevin Lindheim and Kyle Chastain who walked and singled, respectively.

The Bruins evened the score posting a run each in the second and third innings on wild pitches by Rapose, both scoring with two outs.

Both starters seemed to settle in until the bottom of the fifth when the Eagles broke the game open. It looked as though McFarland would escape after walking the bases loaded with two outs and inducing a groundball to short, however, Bruins shortstop Elijah Dickerson booted the grounder, opening the door for a big inning. McFarland walked Matt Jacobs to plate the fourth run before giving way to Sean Felt, who was greeted by Adam Cellini who sent the 1-1 pitch back up the box, scoring Lindheim and Lemon. A passed ball and a Liam Goodall single led to two more runs for ERAU, increasing the lead to six, 8-2.

Rapose got two quick outs in the sixth, but three straight singles led to another Bellevue score and a walk to load the bases ended the night for Rapose. Demarest threw just one pitch in the sixth, forcing Ryan Knutz to ground out to third to end the threat.

Demarest got into trouble in the seventh after his fielding error and two walks loaded the bases, ERAU Head Coach Randy Stegall went to the bullpen again, calling on lefty Eric Green. A wild pitch permitted a run to score, but a strikeout ended the scoring threat and maintained the 8-4 lead.

The Eagles got the run back in the bottom half of the inning as Lindheim scored on an error by the third baseman that permitted Cellini to reach base. ERAU stranded runners on second and third to end the threat.

After recording two quick outs in the eighth, Green allowed two single before giving way to ERAU closer, Ronnie Lozada. A single by Bruins pinch-hitter Beau Dahmen cut the lead to 9-5, but Lozada struck out Kyle Kinman to end the inning. Lindheim got the run back with a sacrifice fly, scoring Robbins, giving the Eagles a five-run lead heading into the ninth.

Lozada made it interesting as two walks and a hit-by-pitch loaded the bases with one out. A strike out and another hit –by-pitch gave the Bruins hope, but Lozada struck out Dusty Kerns to end the game.

Rapose (1-0) tossed 5.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits, striking out five against one walk. Demarest allowed a run on no hits and one walk in 0.2 innings, while Green pitched 1.1 innings, giving up one run on two hits with two strikeouts. Lozada closed the game, tossing 1.1 innings, allowing one run on one hit, striking out three and walking two while hitting two other BU batters.

Lindheim was 1-for-1 with three runs and one RBI while Lemon finished 2-for-4 with two RBIs and a run scored.

The Eagles will be back in action tomorrow night when they host Clarke at 6 p.m.