DAVENPORT, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle baseball team dropped its first game in the 2024 RussMatt Invitational on Wednesday, falling to Minnesota State-Mankato, 10-3, at Northeast Regional Park. The Eagles (7-5, 2-1 SSC) got some late action by way of a two-run home run from Tyler Castelli – his first in the Blue & Gold – but it wasn't enough to overcome a five-run fifth inning from the Mavericks. 
 
Along with Castelli, who went 2-for-3 in the DH spot, Matthew Coker (2-for-4), Timo Aracena, Drew Clymer, Alex Imposimato, Adam Kuzmicki and Camden Traficante all found the hit column. With Traficante's single in the fourth, the senior extended his hit streak to 12 games this season, 13 in total dating back to the 2023 campaign. 
 
It wasn't until the third inning that either team dented the scoreboard, and MSU struck first with an RBI hit-by-pitch and an RBI groundout in back-to-back at bats. The Eagles cut the lead to 2-1 in the next half inning as Castelli tripled to deep right center, then came across in the next at bat when Dylan Brazil grounded him home.
 
The Mavericks added seven runs over the next two innings, however, and found themselves up 9-1 after five. It wasn't until Castelli's two-run shot in the seventh that the Eagles added to the ledger. Castelli worked the count and sent a deep shot to right field to plate Imposimato and himself to give ERAU life, down 9-3. But MSU tacked on one more in the top of the ninth to secure the win.
 
Tyler Donay earned the start on the mound for ERAU and struck out five over 3.2 innings, giving up just four hits, but three walks and a hit-by-pitch was enough to saddle him with the loss. John Barone, Isaiah Eberheart, Trevor Nolan and Adam Kuzmicki also twirled for the Eagles to open the RussMatt Invite.
 
The Eagles are back in action Thursday evening to try to even the series with the Mavericks at 6:30 p.m.