DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Some wins are just sweeter than others, and the Embry-Riddle baseball team enjoyed a sweet one on Monday night, fighting back for a 6-5 extra-innings win over Davenport at Sliwa Stadium. The Eagles (4-7) scored a run in the bottom of the ninth to send Monday's game against the Panthers (5-1) to extras before getting a little Sliwa magic in the bottom of the 11th, scoring the tying and winning runs with two outs to walk-off over the visitors.
The late-inning fireworks began in the ninth as the Eagles found themselves down 4-3.
Kyle Guttveg lifted a sky high pop up that fell in-between the Panther's shortstop and third baseman as the pair lost it in the lights, allowing Guttveg to reach with a leadoff single. After
John Devine bunted Guttveg to second,
Luis Olivier hit a sharp grounder to the drawn-in shortstop. Even after the shortstop looked Guttveg back to third, the speedy Eagle centerfielder was able to race home on the throw to first, tying the game at 4-4.
After a quiet 10th for both teams, the Panthers grabbed the momentum with a run in the top of the 11th as DU finally got to reliever
Troy Naab with a leadoff double, the first hit he had allowed in three innings of relief. Davenport brought in the run with a single to left to go up 5-4 and push the Eagles to the verge of their fourth straight loss.
However...after Evan Maize, who was excellent for the Panthers in 5.2 innings of relief, struck out the first two Eagle batters in the bottom of the 11th, Guttveg reached via a crucial fielding error by the Davenport third baseman, keeping the Eagles alive. Devine followed with a ringing double over the left fielder's head, allowing Guttveg to easily score all the way from first to tie things up.
Luis Olivier hit a slow grounder to third in the next ERAU at-bat, and in reverse fashion of Saturday's loss to Nova Southeastern, the Eagles were the beneficiaries of an errant throw down the right field line as Devine scored from second to give the hosts the 6-5 win.
The game featured five lead changes in all, starting when Davenport got an unearned run in the first off of Eagle starter
Max Clark.
ERAU answered quickly in the second when
Zach Howard came through with a two-out, two-RBI double to right, scoring both Guttveg and Devine for a 2-1 lead.
Clark grew wild in the second frame, issuing three walks and uncorking a wild pitch and failed pick off attempt as the visitors regained the lead, 3-2.
Kyle Marsh tied things up with an infield single in the third, driving in Olivier after he singled and moved to third on a
Kirk Sidwell double.
Garrett Goodall, who took over for Clark in the second, worked scoreless third, fourth and fifth innings, but a one-out triple and sac fly in the sixth pushed the Panthers back in front by a run, 4-3.
The Blue and Gold couldn't do much against starter Cal Djuraskovic and Maize after those first few innings until coming to bat in the ninth.
Devine was the only Eagle with multiple hits, finishing 2-for-5 with an RBI and two runs, while Guttveg was 1-for-5 with three runs scored. Howard had two RBIs for the Eagles.
Naab (3-1) got the win in 4.0 innings of relief, striking out five Panthers and Goodall went 5.2 innings, surrendering just one run with three strikeouts.
The Eagles take on Palm Beach Atlantic this weekend in SSC action. First pitch Friday night is slated for 6 p.m. at Sliwa Stadium.
