The Ave Maria University baseball team fell behind early and never recovered, dropping a 17-4 decision to former conference opponent Embry-Riddle at Sliwa Stadium in Daytona Beach.
 
The Eagles, who transitioned into Division II this season, scored four runs in the bottom of the first to put the Gyrenes in an early hole.
The inning was keyed by a two-run home run from Jonathan Camp, as well as RBI singles from Kyle Zirbes and Josh Garcia.
 
Embry-Riddle added five more runs in the second inning. Camp, Zirbes, and Garcia again provided the run production with a two-run double from Zirbes, a two-run single from Camp and an RBI single from Garcia.
 
Another run was added in the bottom of the third, as two wild pitches and an error allowed Joey Swinarski to score after a leadoff single.
 
The Gyrenes got on the board in the top of the fifth, recording three consecutive singles to push across a run. With one out, Nick Wydler singled to right center field, which was followed by a Matt Wiles single. RJ Warnock then drove in his 10th run of the season on a single through the left side, bring Wydler across the plate.
 
ERAU continued the offensive assault in the bottom of the sixth with five more runs. Tobias Moreno drove in two runs with a single, and Zach Howard, Swinarski and Zirbes each recorded an RBI single.
 
Ave Maria put two runs up in the eighth, starting on a solo home run from redshirt senior Conor Sullivan. The homer was Sullivan's first of the season and the fourth of his Gyrene career. Andy Hernandez followed later in the inning with a double to left-centerfield that plated Ryan Keegan.
 
The scoring concluded for the Eagles in the bottom of the eighth with two Embry-Riddle runs, driven in on a Zirbes double and a Jimmy Jones III sacrifice fly.
 
The Gyrenes scored their final run in the top of the ninth. A Matt Wiles double was followed by an RJ Warnock walk. Conor Sullivan then singled, and a throwing error allowed Wiles to score. Wiles and Sullivan, along with Keegan and Wydler, each recorded two hits in the losing effort.
 
Embry-Riddle's Troy Naab earned the win in six innings on the mound, while AMU starter Joseph Bernhard was charged with the loss.
 
After four games- two wins and two losses- on the east coast of Florida, the Gyrenes return home on Friday for a three game series with Spring Arbor University. The first game between the Gyrenes and the Cougars begins at 2:30 p.m. on campus at Bowie's Ballpark. The final two games are Saturday, starting at 11 a.m.