NEWS RELEASE


 

2004 Avista NAIA Baseball World Series
Press release

 Tuesday, June 1 – Game 13

#2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (53-9) def. #3 Lewis-Clark State (Idaho) (52-10) 6-5

LEWISTON, Idaho – Kenny Holmberg went 4-for-4 and drove in the winning run as the No. 2 seed Embry-Riddle (53-9) knocked off the two-time defending National champion Lewis-Clark State Warriors 6-5 in a loser-out game at the 48th annual Avista NAIA World Series on Tuesday afternoon at Harris Field.

In the bottom of the ninth and Lewis-Clark State leading 5-4, Eagles’ second baseman Richie Cormier scored from third when Nick Seeley’s pitched skipped by back-up catcher Seth McCauley and rolled to the backstop.  The next batter, Holmberg, hit a line drive over leftfielder Anthony Slagle’s head to score Kevin Haney who had advanced to third on the previous wild pitch.

The Warriors’ loss means that this year’s championship game will be the first title game held in Lewiston that does not involved Lewis-Clark State.  It will also break a two-year run in which the Warriors and Oklahoma City Stars have met in the championship game.

The game was deadlocked going into the eighth inning with both clubs scoring once in the first and twice in the third inning.  L-C jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Warrior leadoff hitter, Anthony Slagle, advanced to third on a wild pitch and then scored on a throwing error by the catcher.

The Eagles tied the game in the bottom half on the inning when Cormier, who led off the inning with a triple to right center, scored on a sacrifice fly by catcher Bart Hunton.

The Warriors scored two runs in the fourth as Ryan Stevenson hit a two-RBI single down the right field line scoring Nicolas Benton and Brandon Morris.

Embry Riddle again tied the game in the bottom half of the inning as Ross Clifford hit a sacrifice fly and designated hitter Sean Greear knocked an RBI single down the right field line.

In the top of the eighth, the score tied 3-3, and with one on, Lewiston native, Allen Balmer, took a 0-1 pitch over the center field wall for a two-run home run that put the Warriors up 5-3.

The Eagles scored one run in eighth and won their 53rd game of the season on Holmberg’s RBI single in the bottom of the ninth.

Eagle reliever Brad Stephenson pitched five innings and struck out four to earn the win and improve to 9-3 on the season.

The Warriors’ Nick Seeley (5-1) recorded his first loss of the season, going two innings and giving up three earned runs, including the game winner.

Embry-Riddle will resume play Wednesday. Pairing will be determined by the tournament committee after the conclusion of Tuesday’s games.