May 26, 2008

(Box Score)

LEWISTON, Idaho - Jordan Roberts bounced back and threw a complete-game leading No. 6 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) University (44-17) to a 6-1 win over No. 8 Bellevue (Neb.) University at the 2008 AVISTA-NAIA World Series from Harris Field. Roberts started on the hill just three days after an early exit in the blow-out loss to No. 3 Lewis-Clark State on Friday.

Roberts, who pitched 2/3 inning and allowed four runs and four walks against LCSC, was nothing short of impressive this afternoon in front of 1,445 fans. He shut down a Bruin offense that posted 15 runs in their first game of the World Series. He gave up one run on five hits and whiffed seven Bruins while bettering his record to 11-4.

Offensively, Embry-Riddle had to come back from an early 1-0 hole. Bellevue's Josh Northrup knocked out his eighth home run of the season with two outs in the first. Northrup was just one of two Bruins to reach third base in the game. But after the homer, the game belonged to Roberts. At one point, the LaBelle, Fla., native retired 13 straight batters in the latter stages of the game.

ERAU plated four runs in the third inning with two outs. Batting around the order, the Eagles' Matt Steele drove in his team's first run on a single to left. The big Eagle blow was a two-run blast from leftfielder AJ Tea, his sixth this year.

Two insurance runs were added in the eighth on three base hits. Eric Ogden and Branden Roper-Hubbert each stroked one-out RBI singles. Overall, six different players notched a hit for the Eagles.

Ulysses Roque took the loss for Bellevue and fell to 11-2 on the year. He went 6.0 innings and allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits.

Embry-Riddle advances to Tuesday play with the opponent to be announced later today.

Bellevue, who appeared in its 12^th World Series including 11 in the last 12 years, ends its year with an overall mark of 52-17.