DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — A four-run fourth inning proved the difference as Georgia Southwestern fell 6-1 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University on Wednesday night.
The Hurricanes (18-14) tallied 10 hits but struggled to convert, going 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position and leaving 13 runners on base. Embry-Riddle (12-13) capitalized on its opportunities, going 3-for-3 with a runner on third and less than two outs.
Early Chances Slip Away
GSW threatened early, putting multiple runners on base through the first three innings. The best chance came in the second, when the Hurricanes had runners at second and third, but couldn't deliver a breakthrough hit as the game remained scoreless.
Fourth-Inning Swing
The game shifted in the bottom of the fourth as Embry-Riddle strung together five hits to plate four runs. A two-run single highlighted the rally before additional RBI hits extended the lead to 4-0.
Hurricanes Answer, But Can't Close Gap
GSW broke through in the sixth inning.
Tripp Helgeson and
Edwin Melendez opened the frame with back-to-back singles, and
Drew Reaves followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to 4-1.
The Hurricanes threatened again in the seventh, putting runners in scoring position, but a flyout ended the inning and halted the comeback attempt.
Late Insurance
Embry-Riddle added to its lead with a solo home run in the seventh and pushed across another run in the eighth to stretch the margin to 6-1.
Key Performances & Notes
Evan Wainman recorded his team-leading 15th multi-hit game, finishing with two hits on the night.
Drake Harman also posted a multi-hit effort, going 2-for-5 to secure his 14th multi-hit game of the season while extending his on-base streak to 23 consecutive games.
Despite the loss, the Hurricanes collected 10 hits, marking their third straight game reaching double digits.
GSW finished March 0-4 in midweek games and dropped to 4-10 in road contests this season.
Next Up
The Hurricanes will regroup and resume Peach Belt Conference play this weekend with a trip to Lander University for a three-game series starting Friday at 6 p.m.
