BABSON PARK, Fla. - Embry-Riddle Head Coach
Randy Stegall earned his 450th career win on Wednesday night as the Eagles cruised past Webber International, 12-3. The Eagles (21-11) scored three runs in the first and never looked back en route to the win as three Eagles homered and
Matt Jacobs drove in five runs. Stegall, now 381-146 at Embry-Riddle (69-44-2 in two seasons at Indiana Tech), is 450-190-2 in 11 seasons as a head coach.
The Eagles pounced on WIU early, starting the scoring on a
Joshua Garcia single up the middle that brought in both
Tobias Moreno and
Enderson Velasquez in the top of the first inning. Jacobs added a run with a double down the left field line to bring in
Jonathan Camp for a 3-0 Embry-Riddle lead.
Troy Naab worked around a single in the last of the frame to keep the Warriors off the scoreboard. He repeated the effort in the second, stranding a pair of Warriors on the basepaths.
Garcia extended the Eagle lead to 4-0 with a leadoff homer in the fourth inning, but Webber International came right back to score a single run in its half of the inning, and threatened for more until Naab stranded the bases loaded with a pop up and ground out.
The Eagles pushed the lead to nine with a six-run fifth, making it 10-1 in favor of the Blue and Gold. Moreno started the inning with a walk before swiping second base with ease.
Liam Goodall collected his 260th career hit to drive him in before Velasquez homered to left for a two-run roundtripper. After a WIU pitching change, Camp walked and Garcia singled before Jacobs mashed his seventh long ball of the season to left center, driving in three runs for the 10-1 cushion.
Naab delivered a shutdown inning in the home fifth and ERAU added a run in the sixth when Camp doubled home Velasquez.
Kyle Miller worked a scoreless sixth on the mound for the Eagles and
Jimmy Jones III made his collegiate debut on the bump to start the seventh, getting two outs, including a Camp robbery of a home run, before being relieved by
Kenny Burkhead after two runs had scored. Burkhead got the final out of the seventh as ERAU took an 11-3 lead into the eighth.
Embry-Riddle tallied its final run of the game in the ninth when Jacobs singled in Camp and
Andrew Schorr was able to get out of a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth without allowing a run as the Eagles sealed the 12-3 victory.
Naab (2-1) got the win in five innings of work, allowing one unearned run on six hits. All but one of the Eagle starters collected at least one hit, paced by Garcia and Jacobs with three each. Garcia registered three RBIs while Jacobs finished with five, falling just a triple short of the cycle. Camp and Velasquez each scored three runs for the Blue and Gold.
ERAU stays on the road and will take on Saint Leo this coming weekend in a three-game set, beginning with a Friday night single game at 6 p.m. and concluding with a 1 p.m. doubleheader on Saturday.