DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle softball team picked up an 8-4 win against St. Thomas on Saturday afternoon at the ERAU Softball Stadium. The teams were scheduled to play a doubleheader, but the rains came down as game one was wrapping up, forcing the postponement of game two until Monday at 3 p.m.
 
With the win, the Eagles improved to 11-22 and 6-7 in conference play, while St. Thomas fell to 16-15 overall and 5-7 in league action.
 
The Blue and Gold jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning when Robi Zimmerman's pop-up to third base was dropped, allowing Dee Espinosa to score from second base.
 
The Bobcats answered with an unearned run of their own in the second inning and took a 2-1 lead in the third on a double steal of second and home.
 
Embry-Riddle regained the lead for good in the bottom of the third, scoring three times. Zimmerman drove in Espinosa again, this time with a bases-loaded single, tying the game at 2-2. Haleigh Lewis hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Savannah Smith, giving ERAU a 3-2 lead. The margin increased to 4-2 when Sarah Huey stole home as the Eagles answered STU with a double steal of their own.
 
Espinosa increased the lead to 5-2 with an RBI double in the fourth, scoring Alex Wood, though the Blue and Gold couldn't push across any more runs despite having runners at second and third with one out.
 
St. Thomas cut the deficit to a single run with a pair of runs in the fifth only to see ERAU respond with two runs in the bottom half. Jori Walan stole third base and scored when the catcher's throw sailed into left field. That error also allowed Rae Heuer, who had stolen second base as Walan stole third, to move up to third base. Two pitches later, Heuer came home on a wild pitch, extending the lead to 7-4.
 
The Eagles added another run in the sixth inning when Huey launched a solo shot to right field, making it an 8-4 game, which would prove to be the final score.
 
Alexis Estrada (9-8) went the distance for the Eagles, giving up four runs (three earned) on seven hits, walking two and striking out five. Espinosa went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs scored and an RBI. Huey was 2-for-4 with a home run, stolen base, two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Brenda Emerson (6-7) took the loss for STU, pitching a six-inning complete game. Emerson gave up eight runs (five earned) on 11 hits, walking two and striking out five. Cristina Sacramento finished 2-for-3 with a double while Danielle Borrelli was 1-for-3 with a double and an RBI.
 
The Eagles return to action tomorrow afternoon for a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Northwood at the ERAU Softball Stadium. St. Thomas and Embry-Riddle will make up the rainout game on Monday at 3 p.m., also at the ERAU Softball Stadium.