DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - The Embry-Riddle baseball team continues to add impressive win on impressive win in its inaugural NCAA II season. The latest, an 11-10 walk-off victory over the defending NCAA II National Champion Tampa Spartans, the second straight day the Eagles (20-11) earned a win over Tampa (22-6) in their final at-bat. The Eagles took the three-game series from the second-ranked Spartans on a Jonathan Camp single up the middle that allowed Enderson Velasquez to score from second in the bottom of the 10th inning at Sliwa Stadium.

The home team pounded out 14 hits against the Spartans, but again, was required to earn a walk-off win because UT tied the game in the top of the ninth inning. The Eagles led 10-8 heading into the ninth and with usual Eagle third baseman Kyle Zirbes forced into action on the mound because of limited options out of the ERAU bullpen, the Spartans got a two-out double from J.D. Osborne with a pair of runners on base to tie the game. Zirbes, who did an admirable job on short notice, struck out Laz Rivera to end the inning with Osborne just 90 feet away, allowing the Eagles to attempt the walk-off.

The home team looked in good shape to win in regulation after Tobias Moreno was hit by a pitch and stole second with one out in the last of the ninth, but Moreno was picked off second by UT pitcher Kasey Radke before Radke struck out Liam Goodall to send the game to extras.

Another regular position player in Zach Howard took over for Zirbes on the bump to start the 10th, and the redshirt freshman worked around a one-out walk and stolen base by Zion Bell to keep the Spartans off the scoreboard, setting up the walk-off opportunity in the bottom of the frame.

Velasquez took a 2-0 pitch to deep left for a leadoff double against Radke, and Camp made his good day a great day, by collecting his third base knock, a screamer up the middle that UT shortstop Cody deNoyelles just got a piece of, slowing the ball down enough, that by the time Casey Scoggins, the Spartan centerfielder, got to the ball, Velasquez was well around third, on his way home for the winning run.

The Eagles had to battle from behind early on as Tampa scored four runs off of ERAU starter Kenny Burkhead, chasing him from the game in the second as Nick Dearing was called upon to get out of a jam with two men on and no outs in the inning. Dearing was able to minimize the Tampa rally to just a single run in the second as ERAU found itself down 4-0.

Camp led off the home-half of the second with a single up the middle, stealing second and then scoring on a Joshua Garcia single past first baseman Adrian Chacon, giving the hosts their first run of the day.

Dearing worked a scoreless third and fourth, and Embry-Riddle got another run in the last of the fourth when Joey Swinarski singled in Camp from third, making it 4-2 in favor of Tampa.

The Eagles did work in their part of the fifth, scoring five runs to take a 7-4 lead, starting with a Velasquez single to right that plated Moreno. After Kevin Martin came in for starter Chris McCormick, the Eagles got back-to-back singles from Camp and Zirbes, tying the game at 4-4 and loading the bases. Martin looked to get out of the inning by fanning both Garcia and Matt Jacobs before getting a ground ball from Swinarski, but a misplay by Laz Rivera at second allowed another Eagle run to score and all runners to be safe. Cody Bogart brought in the final two Eagle tallies of the frame with a single to center, making it 7-4 in favor of Embry-Riddle.

Tampa got a run back in the sixth when Dominic Jeancola came in for Dearing with two outs and the bases loaded and a 2-0 count to Rivera. A close 3-1 pitch was called a ball as the walk forced in a run, but Jeancola got out of the inning by getting a fly ball off the bat of Vin Cosenzo.

Connor Andrews returned the favor in the last of the sixth, getting Jacobs to fly out with the bases full of Eagles to keep within striking distance of the Blue and Gold.

The seventh proved to be a microcosm of the two teams' series as the Spartans scored three runs in their half of the inning to take an 8-7 lead, only to see the Eagles answer with two runs of their own to reclaim a one-run cushion at 9-8. Both Eagle runs came from a Goodall double down the right field line, bringing in both Logan Malphursand Moreno after the pair singled and were hit by a pitch, respectively.

Zirbes worked a perfect eighth and he helped himself in the bottom fo the inning by placing a perfect bunt down for a base hit, and when the throw from the pitcher Andrews sailed high, moved all the way to third. Garcia brought in the Eagle insurance run with a single to left for a 10-8 ERAU advantage.

Tampa proved to be resilient, however, getting a pair of singles to put men on first and second with one out before Danny Lee was able to beat out a would-be 4-6-3 game-ending double play to put runners on the corners with two away and set up Osborne's game-tying double.

Howard (1-0) picked up the win in his first collegiate pitching appearance, throwing an inning of relief with one walk. Zirbes went 2.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits with three strikeouts. Dearing was solid in 4.2 innings, allowing just one run on two hits with three Ks.

Camp finished the game 3-for-5 with two RBIs and three runs scored, while Garica went 3-for-5 with two RBIs. Velasquez and Zirbes each collected two hits in the victory.

The win marked the seventh win over a ranked NCAA II team for the Blue and Gold this season, and their first series win over a current member of the Sunshine State Conference.

ERAU hits the road for a mid-week game at Webber International on Wednesday, March 30 at 6 p.m.