BOCA RATON, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle baseball team battled back from five runs down to Lynn early to regain the lead late, but the Eagles (18-13, 6-8 SSC) ultimately fell to the Fighting Knights (19-17, 6-11 SSC) on a walk off in the ninth inning, 9-8.
 
The Eagles scored their eight runs over two innings, led by Matthew Coker's grand slam in the fourth to draw ERAU within one run. Coker finished 2-for-5 with two runs and four RBI. Camden Traficante nabbed a pair of hits to go along with two RBI and a run scored, while Tyler Castelli entered back into the lineup with a pair of hits and an RBI and AJ Marinello extended his hit streak with two more hits and a run scored.
 
Tyler Donay got the ball to start the game, pitching 4.2 innings, allowing six runs on nine hits and a walk. Keagan Perez worked for 1.1 innings, yielding three hits and a run and recorded the only strikeout of the day for the Eagles' staff. Joe Balsam picked up the loss after nearly earning the three-inning save. He gave up seven hits and two runs, including the walk off winner.
 
Lynn once again was the first to score, this time on a single through the left side in the bottom of the first. A scoreless second gave way to a four-run third for the Fighting Knights as they plated four runs on four hits and an error in the frame to go up 5-0 early.
 
But the Eagles pounced right back off the batt of Coker in the top of the fourth. Dillon Lifrieri reached on an error from the shortstop, before Alex Britton singled to center. Zach Coldsnow, picking up the start in the DH spot, drew a hit by pitch to load the bases for Coker. His swing to left was a no-doubt grand slam, bringing the Eagles within striking distance of the lead, down just 5-4.
 
Lynn got one more run back in the fifth, but ERAU took the lead and extended it with four runs on five hits and an error in the top of the seventh. Cameron Martinez picked up a leadoff single through the left side initially. After Coker reached on an error, Chase Bruno sacrificed his at bat with a bunt to the pitcher placing two in scoring position. Traficante took full advantage and hammered a double to left field scoring two runs. Castelli followed right back with a single to right, scoring Traficante. Then Marinello collected another hit, nearly plating Castelli, who was out at home on the relay. But Lifrieri's single in the next at bat scored Marinello putting ERAU comfortably up 8-6.
 
But over the next two innings, ERAU managed just one hit with the lead. Lynn grabbed one more run in their half of the seventh inning, and was down to its final out in the bottom of the ninth. With the bases loaded, Paulino singled to left, deep enough to score two runs, including the game winner to even the series.
 
The two squads will return to the diamond on Sunday for the rubber match to decide the series at 1 p.m.