PRESCOTT, ARIZ. – The OUAZ baseball team started its busy week with a trip North, visiting the Embry-Riddle Eagles. It was the second game in seven days between the two team, and just like last week, a late burst of offense pushed the Spirit to the victory.

After falling behind 1-0 in the second inning, OUAZ answered back with two in the top of the third. Christian Powell drove in Logan Meyer to tie the game, then an error at third base allowed Powell to come to touch home for a lead.

Embry-Riddle would regain a 4-3 advantage after four innings, and the Spirit would respond again to tie the next half inning. Lustig led off and made it all the way to third on an error, then scored on a wild pitch during the next at-bat.

The Spirit would grab its game-deciding lead, and more, in the sixth. OUAZ scored five times in the frame, taking advantage of an error, a passed ball, and a Nathan Tarver double to swipe momentum for good. OUAZ would add a trio of runs in the eighth inning, with the big hit coming on a home run to center field by Joey Winters.

The offense had a productive day on many fronts, as evidenced by the 14 hits and six extra-base hits from the Spirit lineup. Winters, Lusting, Tarver, Meyer, and Joel Esparza each had doubles, and Winters smashed the lone home run of the contest.

The pitching staff was just as good, as five different arms had scoreless appearances, and the Spirit kept Embry-Riddle off the board for the final five innings. Peyton Little, Brock Arnold, Trey Trimble, and Evan Massie all pitched in the five straight shutout frames, plus Zach Penrod turned in a scoreless third inning. As a staff, OUAZ struck out 11 Eagle batters on Tuesday.

The Spirit will now play its final three-game series of the year, as they will play Park-Gilbert later in the week. The series starts at Surprise Stadium on Thursday, with first pitch scheduled for 6 p.m.