Box score

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. − Tim Lappin (Jacksonville, Fla./Paxon HS) tossed four innings of relief and struck out five to help lead Flagler College to an 8-4 win over ninth-ranked (NAIA) Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in a non-conference game Wednesday night at Sliwa Stadium.

Flagler extended its season-best winning streak to five games and improved to 27-20. The win was the first non-conference road victory since Feb. 20 against Palm Beach Atlantic (6-3). Embry-Riddle had its five-game winning streak snapped and fell to 36-15. The loss by the Eagles was their first non-conference loss since a Mar. 31 set-back to Florida Tech (4-3).

Down 1-0 going into the top of the second inning, Dagmar Pena (Jacksonville, Fla./U. of Tampa) belted a 1-2 pitch over the left-center field wall to tie the game. Three batters later, Jose Rohena (Tampa, Fla./St. Petersburg College) hit an RBI double to left-center and then took third when a throw by the Embry-Riddle shortstop went errantly to the backstop. Rohena later scored on a wild pitch.

The Saints sent 10 men to the plate in the third and scored five times to take control of the game. Zach Bove (Winter Haven, Fla./Central Florida CC) led off the frame with a double and took third when John Sgromolo (Fleming Island, Fla./Clay HS) followed with a single. Pena was next and he hit a ground ball to Tyler Robbins at shortstop who couldn't find the handle on a potential double play ball and Bove scored. Two batters later, Payne Maddox (Jacksonville, Fla./Stanton College Prep) singled to center to plate Sgromolo and the Saints led 5-2. Cale Owen (Clearwater, Fla./home school) added an RBI single and Will Percy (Colorado Springs, Colo./St. Mary's HS) followed with an RBI double to Flagler an 8-2 lead.

Lappin (3-3) entered in the fourth and kept the Eagles at bay by scattering six hits. He gave up two unearned runs in the sixth, but retired the first six-of-seven batters he faced.

Owen singled, doubled and drove in a run while Ollie Bertand (Sainte-Adèle, Quebec/Monroe CC) collected a pair of singles and scored a run. Rohena singled, doubled and drove in two runs for the Saints.

Zach Gray (Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla./Bryan College) tossed two innings in relief and allowed one hit and fanned two. Tyler McKendree (Jacksonville, Fla./Bartram Trail HS) closed the game and set a Flagler single-season record with his 29th appearance. Andy Hirko held the record with 28 set in the 2002 season.

Branden Roper-Hubbert went 2-for-5 with a double and a run batted in for Embry-Riddle. Austin Goolsby and Saul Meza each singled twice.

Corey Bevis (4-2) started and last one and one-third innings and surrendered four hits and three runs.

Flagler has its final homestand this weekend starting on Friday against North Georgia at 7 p.m.

NOTE: The game was delayed 25 minutes due to the “Senior Day” festivities at Embry-Riddle.


Flagler 8, Embry-Riddle 4 (04/28/10 at Daytona Beach, FL)
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Flagler............. 035 000 000 - 8 12 1 (27-20)
Embry-Riddle........ 110 002 000 - 4 11 2 (36-15)
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Battery: Flagler - Danny Vliet; Zach Gray(2); Tim Lappin(4); Johnny Gaines(8); Tyler McKendree(9) and Payne Maddox. Embry-Riddle - Corey Bevis; Justin Zinkovich(2); Jonathan Kountis(3); Spencer Seabourne(6); Austin Quinn(8) and Austin Goolsby.
Win-Tim Lappin(3-3) Loss-Corey Bevis(4-2) T-2:55 A-350
2B FCB – Cale Owen; Will Percy; Zach Bove; Jose Rohena.
2B ERAU – Branden Roper-Hubbert; John Libretti.
HR FCB - Dagmar Pena (7).
Weather: 69; mstly. cldy.; w: r-l 9mph
Vliet faced 3 batters in the 2nd.