PNW Baseball Swept In Both Games Against Embry Riddle Wednesday
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — The Purdue University Northwest baseball team could not secure a late-game lead in the first game then fell in the second game as the Pride were swept by Embry-Riddle on Wednesday.
Embry-Riddle won the first game 3-2 before winning 2-0 in game two at Sliwa Stadium in Dayonta Beach, Florida.
GAME 1: ERAU 3, PNW 2
PNW struck first in the first inning after sophomore Kevin McCune (Munster, Ind./Andrean) grounded out which scored senior Austin Kordik (West Chicago, Ill./Community) from third base.
Embry-Riddle tied the game at 1 in the third inning with a triple down the right-field line.
PNW regained the lead in the top of the fifth after sophomore Hunter Ryan (Hebron, Ind./Hebron/IU Wesleyan) walked with the bases loaded that scored junior Nick Albanese (Algonquin, Ill./Marian Central Catholic/Kankakee CC) from third.
Senior Kyle Flessner (Thomasboro, Ill./Raul Township/Kankakee CC) took the loss (0-1) for the Pride, throwing a complete game in the effort, in his six innings, he scattered five hits, allowed three runs (all earned), issued two walks and struck out three.
GAME 2: ERAU 5, PNW 3
Embry-Riddle got on the scoreboard first in the second game with a two spot in the opening frame.
PNW took the lead in the fifth with their three runs in the inning. Kordik started the scoring with an RBI single down the right field line on the first pitch which scored freshman Conner Hoffman (Dyer, Ind./Lake Central) from third to make it 3-1.
Albanese ripped an RBI single to left center on a 0-2 pitch which scored sophomore John Cory (Lowell, Ind./Lowell) to tie the game at 2. Ray Hilbrich (Schererville, Ind./Lake Central) gave PNW the lead with an RBI groundout to first base to make it 3-2.
Embry-Riddle took the lead back in the bottom half of the inning with a two spot off sophomore Justin Walter (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial) to go ahead 4-3.
The Eagles added an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth inning to go ahead 5-3. PNW was unable to come back in the seventh as Embry-Riddle won 5-3.
Walter suffered the loss in relief after throwing the final two innings, allowed three hits, gave up two runs (both earned), issued four walks and struck out two.
Sophomore Brandon Haczynski (Crown Point, Ind./Crown Point) had a no-decision on the mound after throwing four innings, scattered five hits, allowed two runs (one earned) and walked three.
PNW concludes their Florida trip tomorrow, March 14 as the Pride travel to Webber International to take on the Warriors for a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. CT.