Feb. 9, 2008

Daytona Beach, Fla. - No one can say what got into the Hawks baseball team after a tough loss on Friday night, but Saturday they showed how tough of a team they can be. Facing a nationally-ranked Embry-Riddle University, the Shorter Hawks took the first game in a doubleheader, 4-2, before falling in a close second game, 3-2.

In the first game, Shorter got on the board early in the first inning. Embry-Riddle Eagles pitcher John Keravich hit Scotty Morris and was advanced on a Trevor Miller double down the left field line. A sacrifice fly from Shannon Houston, followed by a Tyson Martin single gave Shorter the 2-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third, the Eagles got two runs on two hits to tie things up, but it wasn't long before the top of the fifth came to put Shorter back up. Dustan Cantrell doubled to start out the inning and advanced to third on a Dustin Lee sacrifice bunt. Following an error by Embry-Riddle's shortstop, the Hawks regained the lead as Cantrell came around to score. Morris provided an insurance run to top things off, on a double that scored Brandon Ponder.

The winning pitcher for the Hawks was Daniel Gandia (1-0) and John Keravich picked up the loss (1-1) for the Eagles.

All of the runs in the second game of the afternoon were scored in the third. With two outs in the top of the inning, Ponder and Morris both singled, and scored on a Miller single to center field, and a Houston single to left center.

Embry-Riddle came back and scored three in the bottom to take the game, 3-2.

The Eagles only landed one more runner on base in the rest of the game, while the Hawks left four runners in scoring position in the final four innings.

Alexis Fortis (0-1) was the losing pitcer and Spencer Seabourne got the win (0-1).

In the two games on Saturday, Shorter got 12 hits and committed zero errors in the field.

The Hawks continue play on Tuesday away against NCAA Div. II Georgia College & State University, before their first home games on Feb. 15-16 against Cumberland University.