NEWS RELEASE


 

2004 Avista NAIA Baseball World Series
Press Release

Saturday, May 29 - Game 7
#7 Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.) (46-14) def. #2 Embry-Riddle (Fla.) (51-9), 10-2

LEWISTON, Idaho – Freshman designated hitter Zach Robinson drove in five runs and scored to help the No. 7 seed Point Loma Nazarene upset the No. 2 seed Embry-Riddle 10-2 in game six of the 48th annual Avista NAIA World Series at Harris Field on Saturday.

Robinson, who went 2-for-5 on the day, broke the game open in the bottom of the fifth inning when he hit a three-run homerun off of the scoreboard to put the Sea Lions up 7-2.  Early in the inning, the Lions tacked on their fourth run of the game when second baseman Mike Eshragh hit a sacrifice fly to right that scored leadoff hitter Mike Acuna from third.

In the top of the first, Embry-Riddle scored the game’s first two runs when shortstop Kenny Holmberg hit a two-run double to left center to drive in Cheyne Hurst from second and Richie Cormier from first.  With one out in the inning, Hurst singled through the left side and then stole second.  Comier walked after designated hitter Bart Hunton struck out.

The Eagles’ early lead was short lived as Point Loma scored two runs in the bottom of the first to tie the game.  With one on and no outs, center fielder Joe Bisant hit a two-run homerun to left field.

In the bottom of the third, things began to unravel for the Eagles’ starter Brad Stephenson (8-3).  After leading off the inning with a single, Mike Acuna advanced to second on a failed pickoff at first and then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Bisant.  Acuna then scored the Lions’ third run when the ball slipped from Stephenson’s hand and sailed into the third base dugout.

Stephenson went three innings and recorded only his third loss of the season.

Sea Lions’ starter Mike Ekstrom pitched eight solid innings and got the win to improve to 12-4 on the season.  Ekstrom allowed five hits and struck out one.

Point Loma capped their offensive production with a three-run sixth inning.  With two outs and two on via back-to-back walks, the Lion’s young power hitter Robinson struck again, smashing a two-run double to left center.

With two wins under their belts, Point Loma will next face the No. 3 seed Lewis-Clark State College (52-8) on Monday at 7 p.m.  The Warriors reached Monday’s game by beating Mount Vernon Nazarene 2-0 on Friday night.

After an early loss, the Eagles will try and rebound when they resume play Monday morning at 8:30 a.m.  Embry-Riddle will face the winner of the Concordia/Bellevue game that will be played on Sunday at 2 p.m.