DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Anthony Armanino dominated the seventh-ranked Embry-Riddle Eagles over the course of a complete-game four-hitter, and the Lewis-Clark State offense erupted in the late innings in a 5-1 victory Thursday.
It was the 12th consecutive victory for the Warriors (24-5), and the fourth in as many games on their road trip in Florida.
Armanino struck out four and didn't walk a batter in the game, and allowed just one run in the sixth inning against the Eagles (23-7).
"It's definitely one of the better outings he's had this year," L-C coach Jeremiah Robbins said of Armanino, who improved to 6-1 and lowered his ERA to 1.53 on the season with the win. "He went out there and competed. It was two bulls going at it out there, and he had a really good mentality. He was matched up against a very good arm, and he did everything we asked."
Kevin Maloney, the starter for Embry-Riddle, suffered the first loss of his collegiate career on Thursday. Maloney (5-1) was 24-0 in three seasons for the Eagles entering this game.
Armanino and Maloney traded scoreless innings until the Eagles broke through first in the sixth. After Liam Goodall reached on an infield single to lead off the inning, Jeff Lemon squirted a two-out RBI single through the right side to send Goodall to the plate. He scored just ahead of the throw from L-C right fielder Kevin Knapp.
The Warriors struck back immediately, answering the challenge laid down by Robbins before the game.
In the top of the seventh, Bobby Joe Tannehill continued his hot hitting with a two-out single up the middle. Brian Corliss followed with a base hit through the right side to put runners on first and third and Knapp smacked a bouncer through the hole that brought in Tannehill to tie the game.
Armanino gave up a one-out double to Adam Cellini in the bottom of the seventh, but struck out Jordan Johnson to strand the runner in scoring position.
The Warriors got right back to work in the eighth, chasing Maloney with a single by Jake Shirley and a towering RBI double off the right field wall by Brady Steiger that Robbins said likely would have cleared the scoreboard at Harris Field.
Embry-Riddle overthrew two cutoff men on the play, enabling Shirley to score the go-ahead run all the way from first.
Ryan Sells greeted reliever Erick Green with a triple into the left-center field gap, scoring pinch-runner Tariq Staton to make the score 3-1. A walk to Jacob Cano ended Green's quick outing, and pinch-hitter Cody Lavalli made it a three-run lead with a sacrifice fly off Embry-Riddle closer Ronnie Lozada that scored Sells.
Armanino retired the side in the eighth, and the Warriors tacked on an insurance run in the top of the ninth on a bases-loaded walk to Cano. It was more than enough for Armanino. Robbins said he never considered pulling his ace lefty, especially after LCSC went up by four runs.
Lewis-Clark St. 000 000 131-5 10 2
Embry-Riddle 000 001 000-1 4 0
Armanino and Blackwell. Maloney, Green (8), Lozada (8), Demarest (9) and Cellini.
W - Armanino (6-1). L - Maloney (5-1). Save - none.
L-C hits - Knapp, Holley 2, Shirley, Steiger (2B), Sells (3B), Tannehill 2, Corliss.
ERAU hits - Robbins, Lemon, Cellini (2B), Goodall.