FT. MYERS, Fla. – The Thomas University baseball team's run into the 2015 Sun Conference Championship comes to a close this morning as they fall 15-6 to second-seeded Embry-Riddle.
 
The Eagles struck first capitalizing on three first inning errors by the Night Hawks to go up 3-0.  ERAU continued the offensive surge in the bottom of the second to increase their lead to 5-0.  Catcher Ryan Maxon led off the inning with a single to center before Kyle Zirbes came on as a pinch runner.  After TU's starter Monte Reese struck out center fielder Tobias Moreno, shortstop Jake Cavendar launched a double down the left field line to score Zirbes.  Three pitches later, left fielder Liam Goodall pushed a single through the hole between first and second to score the fifth Eagle run of the game.
 
Embry-Riddle increased their advantage to 7-0 in the bottom of the fourth.  Cavendar walked on six pitches and then stole second.  With one out in the inning, Goodall picked up his second hit of day lifting an RBI-single to left, scoring Cavendar.  Goodall, too, would steal second before scoring on an RBI-single by third baseman Enderson Velasquez.
 
After being held scoreless for the first four innings, the Night Hawks cut Embry-Riddle's lead to 7-3 in the top of the fifth.  Right fielder Brandon Singer and first baseman Leo Benjamin led the off with back-to-back singles.  The bases would be loaded when second baseman Austin Corbitt walked on four pitches.  With one out in the inning, shortstop Jake Desuyo hit a chopper through the right side to score Singer and reload the bases. Center fielder Jalbert Melo added two more runs for the Night Hawks with a two-RBI single to left.
 
In the bottom of the sixth, ERAU responded to the Night Hawks' rally to push its lead to 9-3.  Thomas would score their fourth of the contest in the top of the seventh on an RBI-single by left fielder Jeremy Crosby.  The Eagles would go on to score six runs, two in the seventh and four in the eighth, over the next two frames.
 
Down, but not out, the Night Hawks mounted a comeback in the top of ninth scoring three more runs, but fell short as Embry-Riddle halted the rally to take the 15-6 victory.
 
Reese (5-7) received the loss while ERAU's Corey Tufts (8-4) was credited with the win. 
 
Thomas' season comes to a close with the loss as they finish the 2015 season with a 23-25-1, 13-13 TSC, record.  The Night Hawks are now 1-4 all time at the Sun Conference Championship.
 
For up-to-date information on this game and other TU Athletics, visit www.TUNightHawks.com.  Stay up-to-date with news, scores, photos, game summaries, and feature stories of your TU baseball team by following them via Twitter at @NightHawkBaseba.