MIAMI SHORES, Florida - Pitching led the way for the Embry-Riddle baseball team on Saturday at Feinbloom Field as the Eagles split the day's doubleheader against (RV) Barry, winning the series over the Bucs. ERAU (6-4, 2-1 SSC) took the day's opener 5-2, but couldn't find the timely hit in the finale, dropping last game of the series 3-2 to Barry (6-3, 1-2 SSC).

Embry-Riddle hosts Edward Waters on Tuesday at 5 p.m. at Sliwa Stadium.

Game 1 • ERAU 5, Barry 2
Connor Dunham delivered more than a quality start, and the Eagle offense collected 11 hits en route to a five-run game as the Eagles secured the series against the Bucs with a 5-2 win in the day's opener.

Dunnam (1-2) went 7.2 strong inning, striking out seven batters and allowing just two runs, both coming in the third inning, before the duo of Casey Keller and Gunnar Harrison got the final four outs of the contest without allowing a run.

Neither team scored in the first, but the visitors took a 1-0 lead in the second when Alex Britton doubled down the right field line with Josh Reynolds at first. Reynolds went all the way home on Britton's double when the right fielder misplayed the ball, giving the Eagles the advantage.

ERAU put two men on with one out in the third, but couldn't score, and the hosts took advantage of the missed opportunity, taking their first lead of the series in the next half inning, scoring twice, the only time all game the Eagle pitching staff, spearheaded by Dunnam, allowed the Bucs to touch home.

The Embry-Riddle offense immediately responded, tying the game in the fourth when Zach Coldsnow collected an RBI on a fielder's choice, bringing in Garrett Bogart from third after he had walked and advanced on a hit and then a fly ball.

Dunnam faced the minimum in the bottom of the fourth and the Blue and Gold took the lead for good in the fifth. Kevin Vittoria started the inning with a single, moving to second when Camden Traficante followed with a base hit. A sacrifice bunt from Timo Aracena put both Eagle runners into scoring position and they came home on a groundout from Jeremy Kennedy-Davis and then a Bogart double, putting ERAU in front 4-2.

Dunnam again went 1-2-3 in the fifth before moving smoothly through the sixth and seventh with the two-run lead intact. 

In the home half of the eighth, the Bucs put their first two batters aboard before Dunnam induced a foul out. Following a double steal that put the potential tying runs in scoring position, Dunnam struck out the Barry three-hole hitter before giving way to Keller. Keller walked the cleanup hitter to load the bases, but got out of the inning with a grounder to second, sending the game to the ninth.

Vittoria provided a little breathing room with a leadoff home run to start the ninth, pushing the Eagle cushion to 5-2. The home team appeared to have something going after a leadoff walk and then a double to right center, but a tremendous relay from Britton in right to Vittoria at second and then Kennedy-Davis at the plate cut down the lead Barry runner for the all-important first out. After a hit batter brought the potential tying run to the dish Harrison entered, needing just three pitches to get a 6-4-3 double play to end the game in ERAU's favor.

Vittoria finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Britton also collected three hits in the win.

Game 2 • Barry 3, ERAU 2
The story of the series finale was missed opportunities for the Eagle offense. ERAU stranded 14 runners in the 3-2 setback to the Bucs, needing to settle for a series win rather than a sweep. Dillon Moran continued the strong start to his sophomore campaign, going seven innings, scattering seven hits and allowing just three runs with three strikeouts.

The Bucs scored the game's first three runs, two in the first off of Moran before a solo homer in the second accounted for their final tally.

The visitors had traffic in nearly every frame, but couldn't break through until the fourth when Reynolds scored an unearned run on a RBI groundout from Coldsnow, trimming the deficit to 3-1.

The Eagles got their second and last run in the seventh when Aracena doubled home Vittoria, but it looked like ERAU would at least tie the game, loading the bases with just one out. However, an infield fly and fly ball to left stranded the bases full and sent the game to the stretch.

The Blue and Gold again threatened in the eighth when they loaded the bags once again with one out, but it was a repeat performance as the Eagles recorded the next two outs without scoring.

Isaiah Eberheart relieved Moran to start the eighth, working around two walks by getting a double play to end the inning and move the game along to the ninth.

After two quick outs in the top of the ninth, the Eagles put together a rally, getting two walks from Reynolds and Britton, but a strikeout ended the Eagle hopes as Barry held on for the 3-2 final.

Moran (1-1) took the loss, despite his solid outing, while Noah Clymer and Traficante each finished with two hits for ERAU.