DAYTONA BEACH, Florida - The Embry-Riddle baseball team finally got its second victory of the 2022 season, earning a 7-6 walk-off win over Tiffin on Sunday at Sliwa Stadium. The Eagles (2-11) overcame an early three-run deficit, and the Dragons' (3-6) ninth-inning comeback as
Andrew Martinez drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the ninth to bring in
Justus Burke, marking the second straight walk-off victory at home for the Blue and Gold.
Alex Britton starred both offensively and defensively for Embry-Riddle, with the freshman collecting three hits, two runs, an RBI, and the play of the game in center, making a diving catch to preserve a tie in the eighth inning.
The Dragons jumped on Eagle starter
Conner Dunnam in the first, chasing him from the game, and taking a 3-0 lead in the opening inning.
ERAU had a chance to strike back in the bottom of the inning, but Tiffin starter Gunnar Boehm stranded a pair of Eagles and sent the game to the second.
Gunnar Harrison, who was called upon on short notice in a first inning relief role, did yeoman's work for the Blue and Gold, keeping the Dragons from extending their lead through the next few frames.
Britton scored ERAU's first run of the day in the bottom of the third after he doubled with one out and moved to third on a wild pitch. Danny Trillo's fly ball to left was deep enough to allow Britton to tag and score, cutting the deficit to 3-1.
Cal Brazier led off the fourth with a solo homer to get that run back for the visitors, but Harrison limited the damage to just that lone run as the game moved to the fifth.
Casey Keller relieved Harrison in the fifth, getting the final two outs of the inning, and did not allow a baserunner in the sixth. A Dragon error in the bottom of the sixth led to the second Eagle run of the contest with
Robert Post coming home on a
Max Law ground ball, making the score 4-2.
The Dragons once again pushed their lead back to three runs with a single run in the seventh, but after the stretch, the Eagles finally caught a break, taking advantage of two Tiffin errors to tie the game. An error allowed
Kevin Vittoria to reach with one out, followed by a walk to Britton to put two Eagles on base. After a strikeout,
Jeremy Kennedy-Davis singled to left to plate Vittoria and keep the inning going. Post took a 2-1 pitch to right center for an RBI single with Britton crossing home, and then the Dragon shortstop threw the relay into the Eagles dugout, allowing Kennedy-Davis to score the tying run.
Tyler Stufano got out of a jam in the eighth, thanks to a fantastic diving catch by Britton in shallow center that would have given the Dragons their lead back. And then in the bottom of the inning the freshman outfielder came through again, this time at the dish, collecting a two-out RBI single to score Law after he had doubled off the fence to start the inning.
The Dragons were able to extend the game against
Joe Balsam in the ninth, but a great play by both Law at short, and Post at first, kept the potential go-ahead run from scoring.
Kennedy-Davis started the Eagle ninth with a single, and after a sac bunt, line out, and intentional walk,
Josh Reynolds came up, working a 3-1 count before drawing a free pass to load the bases.
Martinez was called on to pinch hit, and the senior put together a good at-bat, eventually working the count full before the 3-2 pitch missed high, sending the Eagles to a 7-6 win.
Britton and Kennedy-Davis each went 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Balsam (2-0) got the win for ERAU.
Embry-Riddle hosts Davenport on Wednesday, March 2 at 6 p.m. at Sliwa Stadium.
