DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The Embry-Riddle baseball team split a Sunshine State Conference doubleheader with Saint Leo at Sliwa Stadium on Saturday. The Eagles dominated the Lions 19-9 in the first game but went scoreless in a loss to the Lions in game two to drop the series.
 
Tyler Donay improved his record to 3-1 with six strikeouts in 5.1 innings in the game one win. The first game also saw Max Kops go 4-for-4 at the plate and Timo Aracena go 3-for-6 with six RBI.
 
RECORDS
Embry-Riddle: 17-12, 4-8 SSC
Saint Leo: 13-19, 5-10 SSC
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
GAME 1
First Inning
• After the Lions plated a run in the top half of the first inning, Max Kops hit a two-out single to left, got to second on a wild pitch and scored on Aracena's single down the left field line to tie the game at 1-1.
• The Lions used three straight singles to reclaim a 2-1 lead in the second.
• The home half of the third inning saw the Blue and Gold use four hits to add three runs and take over the lead.
• Back-to-back one-out singles by Matthew Coker and Kops put runners on first and second for Aracena.
• Aracena's single up the middle drove in Coker and Kops scored on Noah Clymer's sacrifice bunt.
• Robert Post had the fourth hit of the third inning which scored Aracena from second.
• After starter Tyler Donay retired the side in order, the Eagles added two runs in the bottom of the fifth as Clymer doubled home Kops and a ground out brought Aracena across the plate.
• The Lions used a double to score two more in the sixth.
• After being hit by a pitch, Kops stole second and came around to score on Clymer's single to center field.
• A passed ball moved Clymer to second and a Lion fielding error scored Clymer to increase the Eagle advantage to 8-4.
• After the Lions added two more to their tally, the Eagle offense erupted for 10 hits in the bottom of the seventh.  
• The Eagles also used two hit batters and an error to put runners on base but it was a pair of grand slams from Aracena and Aiden Schmidt that did most of the damage, widening the gap 18-8.
• The Lions had another two-run frame in the eighth, but the Eagles countered with a Kops solo homerun before Saint Leo recorded their final run of the game in the ninth.
 
GAME 2
• The Eagles was unable to replicate their offensive success from the first game in the second managing just six hits.
• Kaelan Racculia headlined the Lions' performance, going the distance on the hill with seven strikeouts.
 
UP NEXT
The Eagles step away from conference play for a midweek home game against Flagler at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.