DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle softball team swept the visiting Mount Mercy Mustangs on Tuesday night by scores of 13-5 and 10-2. Raquelli Bianco improved to 7-3 on the year in the circle in game one and came just a single short of hitting the cycle in game two. Kassidy Simons improved to 11-2 in the circle while also recording her third homer of the season in the win. The Eagles are now 24-8 on the year, just one win away from tying the program-high.

Game 1 - ERAU 13, MMU 5 (5 inn.)
Neither team got on the board in the first game of the doubleheader until Embry-Riddle broke through in the bottom of the third. Mckenzee Quinn, Natalie Morales and Anna Battison loaded the bases on a hit by pitch, a walk and a fielder's choice, respectively. Bianco then walked to move Quinn across home plate. Up next, Simons singled to right center field to give the Eagles a 3-0 lead. Robi Zimmerman then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, allowing Bianco to tag up for the fourth run of the inning. Simons then came around to score as Haleigh Lewis doubled to right center.
 
Mount Mercy came back in the bottom of the fourth inning to score three runs. The Mustangs capitalized on two errors and two wild pitches in the inning by the Eagles.
 
However, the Eagles got one back in the bottom of the fourth. Morales reached first on an infield single and advanced to second as Anna Battison was walked. Bianco then singled up the middle to allow Morales to bring the score to 6-3.
 
In the top of the fifth, the Mustangs came within one of the home side. They got a lead off single from Brianna Sturtz and then LJ Putzier walked. The runners advanced one base apiece on a sacrifice bunt and then came around to score on the next at bat, a single from Amanda Gaffey to make it 6-5 in favor of ERAU.
 
Embry-Riddle exploded in the bottom of the fifth to score seven runs, and end the game early. Zimmerman started things off with a hard hit single to the shortstop. Lewis then followed with a single as well. Rae Heuer then stepped up and ripped a single to score Zimmerman. With no outs, Reed loaded the bases after being hit by a pitch. Quinn then knocked a double down the left field line, allowing Lewis and Heuer to score. Leading 9-5, Morales grounded out but this allowed the Eagles 10th run of the game to score as Reed came home. To continue to rally, Anna Battison lifted her second home run of the season over the left field fence to bring the Eagle advantage to 12-5. Up next, Bianco was walked and then stole second base before Simons drove her in on a double to left center field, which ended the game.

Simons went 2-for-4 in the game with three RBIs and a double while Lewis was 2-for-3 with an RBI and a double as well. Quinn was a perfect 1-for-1 with two RBIs, a double and a walk in the contest.

Game 2 - ERAU 10, MMU 2 (6 inn.)
It was Mount Mercy who struck first in the second game of the doubleheader, scoring in the top of the first. Sturtz got things going with a single and advanced to second on a passed ball. Hannah Petersen recorded the RBI as she hit a single up the middle to score Sturtz.
 
In the bottom half of the inning, the Eagles took back the lead by scoring two. Battison reached first on a lead off bunt single. Bianco then launched her eighth home run of the year over the right field fence giving the home side a 2-1 edge.
 
The Mustangs tied the game in the top of the second, as Ellie Rizor hit a dribbler up the first base line to start for the visitors. She then made her way to third on back-to-back sacrifice bunts and scored on a single to right center from Kaitlyn Davidson.
 
The game remained tied at two apiece until the Eagles grabbed two more in the bottom of the third. Bianco led off the inning with a double and came across as Lewis also ripped a double. Zimmerman then followed with a single to center field, sending Lewis to third. Heuer then grounded out to the second baseman but Lewis had enough time to scramble across for the Eagles fourth run of the game.
 
In the bottom of the fourth the Blue and Gold added four more. With one out, Morales hit a ball deep to left field that was feet from being a home run; she instead ended up on second base. Battison advanced Morales to third on a single to center field and both Eagles were driven in on a triple from Bianco. Up 6-2, Simons then powered her third homer of the year over dead center field to put the Eagles ahead by a score of 8-2.
 
With a chance to end the game early again, Morales reached base on a bunt single in the bottom of the fifth. Battison also reached first on a bunt single to follow. Morales used her speed to take third base and was able to come home as the Mustang first baseman tried to throw her out on the play.
 
While they weren't able to take the win in the fifth, the Eagles did finish the game off in the bottom of the sixth. Simons led off with a single through the left side. Chanley Burge then came in to pinch run. Lewis followed that up with a single to move Burge over to second. Zimmerman then came up and doubled to the corner in left field, allowing Burge to score and give the Blue and Gold the 10-2 victory.
 
Bianco was 3-for-4 in the game with four RBIs and was just a single shy of the cycle. Battison went 3-for-4 as well while picking up her 22nd stolen base of the season. The Eagles recorded 16 hits in the game, the second-most this season while the game marks the 10th contest to end early.

The Eagles return to the Embry-Riddle Softball Stadium on Friday, March 25th for a doubleheader against Albany State. The games get underway at 2 p.m.