#3 Embry-Riddle (8-7) def. Warner (8-9) 2/28/14 | Lake Wales, Fla. - Royals Field | A: 93 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Embry-Riddle 1 0 0 2 1 3 3 0 0 10 13 1 Warner 0 0 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 3 8 4 Pitching IP H R ER BB SO W: Poncedeleon (2-1) 5.1 7 3 3 2 7 L: Kehres (2-2) 6.0 10 7 3 1 2 Batting AB R H RBI BB HR Cavender (ERAU) 5 2 3 4 1 0 Lindheim (ERAU) 6 1 2 1 0 0 Knight (ERAU 4 0 2 1 0 0 Related Links • Box Score • Season Stats

LAKE WALES, Fla. - The third-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles moved above .500 for the first time in 2014 with a 10-3 win over Sun Conference opponent Warner on the road on Friday afternoon. The Eagles (8-7, 6-1) recorded 13 hits, including four doubles, scoring six runs in the sixth and seventh to break open a close game as the Royals (8-9, 4-6) committed four errors in the contest.
 
The two teams conclude their three-game series tomorrow, Saturday, March 1 with a doubleheader starting at 11 a.m.
 
Three straight one-out singles loaded the bases in the first as Jake Cavender, Kevin Lindheim and Darryl Knight notched base hits against Warner ace Aaron Kehres, and with the bases loaded J Rhet Montana plated the first Eagle run of the day with a ground ball to third, scoring Cavender. Kehres was able to get out of the early jam by getting Hunter Bruehl to swing and miss at strike three, minimizing the damage to just one run.
 
The Royals got a leadoff single from Justin Burgess and a one-out base hit from Chris Mejia to put runners on first and second in the last of the first, but Daniel Poncedeleon struck out the cleanup hitter Anthony Dovale and got Dylan Gross to ground out to second to end the inning.
 
Two more hits and a Warner error loaded the bases with one out for the Eagle offense in the second inning, but two consecutive ground balls hit to third base resulted in two outs and no runs.
 
Poncedeleon threw just five pitches to record three outs in the bottom of the second as the Royals went quietly before the Eagles did the same in the top of the third.
 
Poncedeleon found himself in trouble in the home half of the third, giving up a leadoff single before hitting two straight batters to load the bases with no outs. Dovale singled to shallow left to tie the game at 1-1, prompting Pitching Coach Dave Therneau to make a visit to the mound. Poncedeleon struck out Gross for the first out of the frame, but followed by hitting Sergio Perez to chase across another Royal run, giving them a 2-1 lead. Poncedeleon recorded a strikeout before Cody Nevils attempted a bunt with the bases loaded and grounded the ball back to the mound for Poncedeleon to field and throw home for the final out of the inning.
 
Jordan Johnson started the fourth with a popped up ball to shallow left center, but miscommunication by the centerfielder and shortstop allowed Johnson to reach second base when the ball fell in green space. Chastain was able to reach first on a Royal error in the infield, putting a pair of Eagles on with no outs. Colt Hankamer moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, giving Liam Goodall an RBI opportunity with one away. Goodall grounded a pitch to third that put Johnson in a rundown, but heads-up baserunning from Chastain and Goodall kept Eagles at second and third for Cavender. Cavender delivered a big double to left center, scoring both runners as the Eagles retook a one-run lead, 3-2.
 
The Eagles loaded the bases in the fifth on a hit, walk and hit by pitch before Montana scored on a passed ball, getting a good read from third before racing home for a 4-2 Eagle cushion.
 
Poncedeleon stranded another Royal runner in the last of the fifth, striking out the final two batters he faced, keeping the Blue and Gold in front, 4-2.
 
Goodall singled to start the sixth before moving to second during Cavender's at-bat and then scored when Lindheim ripped a ball to deep left center to plate his outfield mate for a 5-2 Embry-Riddle advantage. Lindheim later scored on a throwing error by the Royal catcher as Montana swiped second with Hunter Bruehl at the plate. Warner's defense let them down again when Bruehl popped a ball up into left and the Royal shortstop couldn't make the catch with Montana scoring from second on the play, giving the visitors a 7-2 lead.
 
The Royals chased Poncedeleon from the game in the bottom of the sixth with a run on a Burgess RBI single. Randy Stegall went to Clayton Wagner out of the bullpen, and after a strikeout and single, the left-hander struck out Dovale to end the Royal threat and strand two Warner runners on the bases.
 
Joe Lopez, the new Warner pitcher in the seventh, walked Colt Hankamer and Goodall with one out and the pair pulled off a double steal to put two men in scoring position for Cavender. The Eagle designated hitter continued his good day at the plate with a base hit to center, scoring both Hankamer and Goodall for a 9-3 ERAU lead. Knight accounted for the 10^th ERAU run of the day with a double to the wall in left, bringing home Cavender.
 
Wagner cruised in the bottom of the seventh, striking out the side with ease, preserving the seven-run Eagle lead, giving way to Bruce Wong in the eighth. Wong got some nice defensive plays behind him from Bruehl and Montana to go 1-2-3 for a scoreless eighth before striking out the side in the ninth to finish the game.
 
Poncedeleon got the win, throwing 5.1 innings, allowing seven hits and three runs with seven strikeouts, moving to 2-1 on the year. Wagner threw 1.2 scoreless innings, surrendering just one hit while striking out five Royal batters. Wong added four strikeouts as the Eagle pitching staff combined for 16 on the day, the second-highest total in program history.
 
Cavender went 3-for-5 with four RBIs, two runs scored and a walk while Johnson finished 3-for-4 and both Lindheim and Knight collected two hits and an RBI for the Blue and Gold effort.