No. 15 Embry-Riddle (25-14, 14-2) def. Ave Maria (14-25, 4-12) 3/28/14 | Ave Maria, Fla. | Bowie's Ballpark | 41 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E Embry-Riddle 0 1 0 2 2 0 2 0 1 8 10 1 Ave Maria 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 9 2 Pitching IP H R ER BB SO W: Poncedeleon (5-1) 1.0 0 0 0 0 0 L: Quayle (4-4) 1.1 2 1 1 0 1 Related Links • Box Score • Season Stats

AVE MARIA, Fla. – The 15^th-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles took advantage of big hits from Darryl Knight and J Rhet Montana while Daniel Poncedeleon gave the Eagles seven strong innings in an 8-2 road win over Ave Maria on Friday afternoon. The Eagles (25-14) trailed 1-0 early before scoring eight runs on 10 hits to improve to 14-2 in Sun Conference play. The Gyrenes (15-24, 4-12) collected nine hits, but couldn't find the big one, falling for the 11^th time in 12 meetings with the Blue and Gold.
 
Knight's two-run home run in the fourth inning gave the Eagles a lead they didn't give up, and the Eagle catcher continued to rake for the visitors, finishing 3-for-3 with four RBIs, reaching base in all four of his plate appearances, falling just a triple short of the cycle. J Rhet Montana was responsible for three more RBIs while Kevin Lindheim and Jordan Johnson each collected two hits.
 
The wind played a big factor in the bottom of the first inning as the Gyrenes recorded three hits against Poncedeleon, two of which were wind-aided, allowing the home team to take a 1-0 lead on an Aaron Pigna base knock up the middle, scoring Tommy Lentine from third.
 
The Blue and Gold quickly answered with the tying run in the second when a sacrifice bunt from J Rhet Montana turned into an RBI as Kyle Buchanan, courtesy running for Darryl Knight at second base, raced around third without stopping, scoring to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Poncedeleon struck out the side in the last of the third to send his team back to the plate in the fourth where Kevin Lindheim broke up Zack Quayle's no-hit bid with a single through the left side. Darryl Knight launched an 0-1 pitch over the fence in left for his third home run of the season, giving the visitors a 3-1 advantage.
 
Hunter McCarthy accomplished something no other opponent had against Poncedeleon when he hit a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the fourth, his sixth of the season. However, the Eagle pitcher worked quickly through the next three batters, keeping the Blue and Gold in front, 3-2.
 
The Eagles added a pair of runs in the fifth after a walk by Kyle Chastain and infield single from Liam Goodall put two on with no outs. Chastain moved to third on a line out from Lindheim before Knight delivered a sacrifice fly for a 4-2 lead. Goodall stole second and later scored on Jake Cavender's double to deep left center to push the ERAU cushion to three runs at 5-2.
 
After Poncedeleon's first 1-2-3 inning of the contest, Regis Easler came in for Quayle in the top of the sixth, surrendering a leadoff hit to Jordan Johnson. Hunter Bruehl moved Johnson into scoring position with a bunt, but Johnson became the fifth stranded runner as Easler got out of the jam with a pop out and fly out.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, Poncedeleon worked his second straight 1-2-3 inning, retiring Aaron Pigna for the first time and striking out McCarthy after a long battle at the dish.
 
Montana added to the Embry-Riddle lead with a two-RBI single in the seventh, scoring both Lindheim and Knight's courtesy runner, Kyle Buchanan, to extend the cushion to 7-2.
 
The Gyrenes managed to load the bases against Poncedeleon in the home half of the seventh, but after a visit from pitching coach Dave Thereneau, the senior right-hander blew three straight pitches past James Lesniewski to end the threat and keep the advantage at five runs.
 
Knight's double down the left field line drove home Lindheim all the way from first for his fourth RBI of the afternoon in the top of the ninth and David Lidyard, who had entered in the eight for the Eagles, worked his second consecutive perfect inning of relief to secure the win.
 
Poncedeleon (5-1) finished with eight strikeouts in seven innings and 97 total pitches. The Eagle starter scattered nine hits, allowing just two runs (one earned) to lower his season ERA to 1.97. Lidyard did not allow a baserunner in two frames of relief work.

The Eagles and Gyrenes meet tomorrow, Saturday, March 29 for a doubleheader beginning at 12 p.m.