SAINT LEO, Florida - The Embry-Riddle baseball team held a 4-1 lead in the seventh inning on Friday night, but a two-out, three-run homer by No. 14 Saint Leo ignited a five-run rally over the Lions' final four outs, pushing them to a 6-4 win in the weekend opener. The Eagles (20-21, 8-14 SSC) lost for just the third time this year when leading after six innings, while the Lions (28-14, 13-9 SSC) improved to 19-9 all-time against the Blue and Gold.

Garrett Goodall and Brayden Heidel were locked into a pitcher's duel through the game's first three-plus innings, neither pitching allowing much in the way of baserunners, until the Lions chased across a run in the fourth to take a 1-0 lead.

The Eagle deficit would stay at 1-0 until the sixth when the visitors came through with the bases loaded and no outs. Robert Post singled through the right side of the infield, scoring both Alex Britton and Andrew Martinez to give ERAU the lead. Josh Reynolds followed with a sac fly to right to score Jeremy Kennedy-Davis for a 3-1 cushion.

Goodall delivered a shutdown inning in the bottom of the sixth, and Martinez added to ERAU's lead in the top of the seventh when he doubled home Kevin Vittoria with two outs. 

The big blow from the 14th-ranked Lions came in the home-half of the seventh. Saint Leo had runners on the corners with two outs and Buck Anderson hit his fourth long ball of the season, a three-run shot that tied the game and gave all the momentum to the home team.

ERAU went quietly in the top of the eighth and once again the Lions came through with two outs when they came to the plate, scoring tow runs on three hits against J.C. Carrell to go up 6-4.

The Eagles sent just three batters to the plate in the ninth, none reaching base, ultimately falling by the 6-4 final.

Britton and Martinez each had two hits for the Eagles, while Post finished with a pair of RBIs.

The Eagles and Lions meet up tomorrow for a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Southard Stadium.