Embry-Riddle (24-14, 13-2) at Ave Maria (15-23, 4-11) March 28 | Ave Maria, Fla. | 3 p.m. March 29 | Ave Maria, Fla. | 12 p.m. | DH AMU OFFENSE ERAU .263 AVG .278 166 R 171 316 H 345 36 2B 47 6 3B 7 10 HR 6 141 RBI 148 .328 SLG% .342 89 BB 132 47 HBP 36 267 Ks 249 .336 OB% .361 44-65 SB-SBA 64-89 AMU DEFENSE  ERAU 3.86 ERA 2.30 7 CG 5 5 SHO 6 310.0 IP 328.0 335 H 247 170 R 115 133 ER 84 92 BB 127 219 Ks 295 .275 OPP. BA .207 67 E 63 .952 FLD% .957 AMU LEADERS ERAU Pigna (.367) AVG Knight (.311) Lentine/Lewsniewski (18) R Chastain (26) Sullivan (47) H Lindheim (46) Three w/ (5) 2B Lindheim (11) Pigna (2) 3B Goodall (4) McCarthy (5) HR Knight/Buchanan (2) McCarthy (23) RBI Knight (26) Pigna (.459) SLG% Knight (.432) Fahey (14) BB Chastain (18) Pigna (.407) OB% Knight (.416) Pigna (7-10) SB-SBA Chastain (14-19) AMU LEADERS ERAU Striz (2.73) ERA Nelson (0.82) Striz (5) CG Nelson (3) Four w/ (1) SHO Nelson (3) Striz (66.0) IP Nelson (66.0) Striz/Walker (36) Ks Poncedeleon (60) Lenzi (.188) OPP. BA Nelson (.152) LINKS • Embry-Riddle Season Stats • Ave Maria Season Stats

GAMEDAY CENTRAL
No. 15 Embry-Riddle (24-14, 13-2) at Ave Maria (15-23, 4-11)
DATES: Friday, March 28 - Saturday, March 29
CITY: Ave Maria, Fla.
SITE: Bowie's Ballpark
FIRST PITCH FRIDAY: 3 p.m.
FIRST PITCH SATURDAY: 12 p.m. - DH
LIVE STATS: Stretch Internet
CURRENT EMBRY-RIDDLE STREAK: W1
CURRENT AVE MARIA STREAK: W1
EMBRY RIDDLE ON THE ROAD IN 2014: 8-5
AVE MARIA AT HOME IN 2014: 11-7
SERIES: Embry-Riddle leads, 10-1
LAST MEETING: ERAU 6, AMU 2 - May 9, 2013 | Daytona Beach, Fla.

AT A GLANCE
The 15th-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles travel to preseason No. 25 Ave Maria this weekend for a three-game Sun Conference series against the Gyrenes. The Eagles (24-14, 13-2) hold a two-game lead over second-place and No. 24 Southeastern as ERAU begins the last third of its 2014 regular season. The Gyrenes (15-23, 4-11) are trying to make a push for a spot in The Sun Conference Tournament (May 2-5) in Fort Myers, Fla.

EMBRY-RIDDLE
The Eagles will attempt to secure their grip on the top spot in The Sun Conference standings with three games this weekend against Ave Maria. Embry-Riddle's magic number to clinch a spot in the league tournament is six, while the magic number to claim the program's 15th regular season conference title is 10.

Embry-Riddle's offense had been on a tear last week during spring break, but after Monday and Tuesday against Northwestern Ohio, the Eagle bats cooled down a bit and now sit at a .278 team average for the season. The Blue and Gold have played a lot of small ball in 2014, collecting 18 bunt hits, 23 sacrifice bunts and 64 stolen bases in 89 attempts. Darryl Knight paces the Eagles with a .311 average with 41 hits, eight doubles, 26 RBIs and 17 walks. J Rhet Montana holds a .309 average with 38 hits and 18 runs scored while Kevin Lindheim checks in at .307 with 46 hits, 11 doubles, 24 RBIs and 21 runs.

On the mound, the Eagles have a 2.30 ERA in 328.0 innings with 295 strikeouts and a .207 opponent batting average. Friday starter Daniel Poncedeleon is 4-1 with a 2.06 ERA in eight starts (52.1 IP) with a team-high 60 Ks, while Stetson Nelson is 7-2 with a 0.82 ERA, three complete games, three shutous and 66.0 innings of work. Corey Tufts has posted a 6-2 record and 2.66 ERA in 12 appearances as a sophomore.

SCOUTING AVE MARIA
The Gyrenes, under Shawn Summe's direction, started the season ranked No. 24 in the NAIA Coaches' Preseason Poll, but have struggled on the road and in conference games. AMU does have an 11-9 mark at Bowie's Ballpark, but have lost three of its last four contests at home.

Aaron Pigna leads the Ave Maria offense with a .367 average in 29 games, recording 36 hits, five doubles, 14 RBIs and 14 runs scored as well as swiping seven bags in 10 tries. Conor Sullivan has a .341 average with 47 hits, 15 RBIs and nine runs scored while Hunter McCarthy has driven in a team-high 23 RBIs.

Ethan Striz has been the ace of the AMU staff in 2014 with a 4-3 record and 2.73 ERA in 66.0 innings. Joe Bocchino, 2013's Sun Conference Pitcher of the Year, has had a rough season, going 1-8 with a 4.22 ERA.

THE #ERAUvsAMU SERIES
The Eagles have a 10-1 all-time record against the Gyrenes, including going 4-1 against Ave Maria last season. ERAU is 2-0 all-time at Bowie's Ballpark.

STATISTICAL TIDBITS
• Darryl Knight had his 17-game hitting streak come to an end in Tuesday's win over UNOH.
• Kevin Lindheim saw his 14-game hitting streak snapped in Monday's loss to the Racers

EAGLE BASEBALL BY THE NUMBERS
1,001 - Wins in program history
372 - Career wins by Head Coach Randy Stegall
126 - Kevin Lindheim's career hits in an Eagle uniform
19 - Conference Championships in program history