DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - It was Sunday Funday for the Embry-Riddle baseball team as the Eagles completed their second-straight Sunshine State Conference sweep with an 11-3 win over Florida Tech at Sliwa Stadium. The Eagles (17-0, 6-3) took an early lead and Payton Rice, like Garrett Goodall on Saturday, did the rest, nearly going the distance for the Blue and Gold as the Eagle bats wrapped up the three-game series with 35 runs on 45 total hits against the Panthers (14-12, 5-7).

Rice needed just eight pitches to get out of the first inning and the Eagles took advantage of two crucial FIT errors in the bottom of the inning to take a commanding, 4-0 lead.

John Devine singled with one out before Luis Olivier grounded a double play ball back to the mound, but the FIT starter Rhett Williams threw the ball away trying to go to second, allowing both Eagles to be safe. Kirk Sidwell drew a walk to load the bases and Zach Howard singled home a pair of runners for a 2-0 lead, and when the left fielder bobbled the ball, both Sidwell and Howard advanced a base. Cole Habig doubled the Eagle lead with a base hit to right center, making it 4-0.

Rice and Williams settled in after the first, and the score stayed 4-0 Embry-Riddle until the bottom of the sixth. Sidwell tripled to center with one out before Howard jacked his 35th career homer to straightaway center, pushing the ERAU lead to 6-0. Mike Lawson brought in the seventh Eagle run of the afternoon with a single, scoring Habig from third later on in the inning.

Rice delivered another scoreless frame in the seventh and the Eagles tacked on two runs in their half of the inning when Olivier matched Howard with a two-run shot of his own to center, plating Devine after he had doubled in the previous at-bat.

Olivier brought in his third run of the day with an infield single in the eighth as Kyle Guttveg scored from third, and a wild pitch pushed home Devine for the 11th Eagle run.

Rice came out for the ninth, but was relieved by Dominic Jeancola after a walk and base hit. The Panthers were able to snap their 19-inning scoreless streak by scoring three times in the ninth, but it was too little, too late as the Eagles held on for the 11-3 win.

Rice (2-4) won his second straight start, surrendering two runs on three hits with six strikeouts in eight innings.

Howard went 2-for-4 with four RBIs and two runs, while Olivier finished 2-for-5 with three RBIs and two runs scored. Devine was 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and three runs.

The Eagles put themselves into second place in the SSC standings at 6-3 and will look to extend their winning ways next weekend at Florida Southern. First pitch of the weekend series is slated for 6 p.m. on Friday, March 29 in Lakeland.