LEBANON, Tenn. – Chris Page hit his second solo homer of the game to leadoff the 10th inning and Aaron Glaum added a sacrifice fly, as sixth-ranked Embry-Riddle outlasted top-ranked Cumberland, 13-11, in 10 innings Tuesday at Ernest L. Stockton Field.
The contest featured 24 runs and 34 hits as well as five ties and the teams combined to leave 24 runners on base in the three-and-a-half hour marathon. Tommy Winegardner, Greg Appleton and Mike Mandarino each collected three hits for the Bulldogs (19-10) while Cory Farris drove in four runs, including the tying single in the ninth, but Richie Seaton was nailed at the plate with the go-ahead run, sending the intended seven-inning contest into the 10th. For his efforts Mandarino was named the Music City Star of the Game.
Page ended the game 4-for-6 with the two solo homers for the Eagles (25-7), who lost 10-0 in five innings earlier in the day to 16th-ranked Union University. A five-run fourth inning capped by a grand slam from Steve Sabins gave ERAU a lead they would never relinquish, though Cumberland tied the game three times thereafter before finally succumbing in the 10th inning.
All five of the runs in the Eagles fourth inning were unearned after a potential doubleplay was botched, plating one run and setting the stage for Sabins’ homer into the teeth of the wind in leftcenter.
Ian MacGeorge and Frankie Arias both recorded three hits for Embry-Riddle and Arias made the throw to the plate to get Seaton in the ninth inning.
Phillip Reamy (1-1), the third of four Eagles hurlers, picked up the victory despite allowing the Bulldogs to tie the game twice. Reamy allowed three runs on five hits in 4.1 innings of relief, walking six and striking out one. ERAU starter Robbie Ratliff gave up seven runs on eights hits in 4.1 innings.
Patrick Corrigan (0-1), the fifth of six Bulldogs pitchers, took the loss, allowing two runs on one hit without getting an out. CU starter Cody Ferrell also lasted just 4.1 innings, giving up eight runs, three earned, on 11 hits.
The Bulldogs got on the board in the first inning, scoring once, but missed a chance for more.
Jesse Bowman, Appleton and Mandarino all singled with one out and Bowman scored on a groundout by Farris, but Tommy Crews struck out looking to end the inning.
Embry-Riddle threatened in the first and second innings with a pair of singles in both frames, but Ferrell wiggled out of trouble before the Eagles tied the game at one with a solo homer in the third from Arias.
CU went back ahead in the bottom of the inning with a solo home run by Appleton, but the lead was short-lived.
ERAU plated five runs in the fourth inning, all unearned, as an error that should have been an inning-ending doubleplay came back to haunt the Bulldogs.
Keaton Stroud was hit and MacGeorge singled to leadoff before Tyler Robbins popped up a bunt attempt. Clint Whitman then bounced to third, but Appleton’s throw to second was wide and rolled into short rightfield, allowing Stroud to score.
Greg Smith then singled before a two-out grand slam to leftcenter from Sabins, giving the visitors a 6-2 advantage.
The Bulldogs cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the inning when Antonio Butler walked with one out and Winegardner hit a two-run homer to center just to the right of the batter’s eye.
But Embry-Riddle came back with two more runs in the fifth, chasing Ferrell from the contest.
Ben Kline singled to leadoff and McGeorge doubled with one out before Whitman tripled off the batter’s eye in center, plating both runners for an 8-4 Eagles lead.
Cumberland tied the contest with four runs in the bottom of the fifth, sending 10 batters to the plate.
Mandarino doubled with one out and Farris followed with a two-run homer to rightcenter. Fanshawe then singled and Butler walked with two outs. T.J. Murphy’s single to center plated a run and after a walk to Winegardner, Bowman drew another walk, forcing in the tying run for the Bulldogs.
But again the lead was short-lived, as Page bombed a solo home run with two outs in the sixth, over the rightfield fence and Spring Street into a yard, giving the Eagles a 9-8 edge.
Cumberland tied the game in the seventh thanks to a two-out single from Winegardner, a walk to Seaton and an RBI single to left by Appleton, sending the game to extra innings.
ERAU scored twice in the ninth to retake the lead again, with Stroud doubling down the rightfield line to leadoff and Glaum following with a single to center. Arias’ two-out single to center plated Glaum for an11-9 Eagles advantage.
Again the Bulldogs tied the contest, pushing the game further into extra frames.
Murphy walked with one out and Winegardner singled before Seaton walked, loading the bases. Appleton plated a run with a sacrifice fly and Farris singled to right with two outs, scoring Winegardner, but Seaton was gunned down at the plate by Arias to end the inning with the game tied at 11.
Page gave Embry-Riddle the lead for the fourth time in the game with a solo homer to leadoff the 10th inning, another tape-measure shot over Spring Street into a yard. Kline walked and moved to second when a pickoff throw hit him in the back and got away. He went to third on Stroud’s single to short left and scored on a foulout down the rightfield line from Glaum, giving ERAU a 13-11 edge.
Daniel Eaton set down the Bulldogs in order in the bottom of the 10th, striking out a pair to earn his first save of the season.
Cumberland and Embry-Riddle will play again Tuesday at 1 p.m. and the Bulldogs will take on Campbellsville University at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Veterans Field in Lebanon.
