Jacksonville, Florida-With the conference tournament just around the corner and Edward Waters desperately needing to make a move to ensure a spot, the Tigers welcomed the Golden Bears of Miles College for a three-game SIAC series on Friday and Saturday. The Purple & Orange were able to rise to the occasion to earn a badly needed series win, taking two of the three games. Miles was able to take Game One in come-from-behind fashion, 7-5, but the home team won the final two contests of the series, 10-6 in Game Two and a run-rule 12-2 series clinching victory in Game Three.

(FRIDAY) GAME ONE: Miles 7, Edward Waters 5:
Miles opened the scoring in the top of the 2nd inning with a two-run homer to take a 2-0 lead. Edward Waters responded in the home half of the second with an RBI fielder's choice from Caden Hutchinson and an RBI single from John Nobles to tie things up at 2-2.

The Tigers took their first lead of the contest in the bottom of the fourth thanks to Leonel Diaz two-run shot over the right field wall and a Dwanye Maduro RBI double to take a 5-2 lead. The Golden Bears cut the deficit to one in the top of the fifth inning with a two-run homer to make it a 5-4 game. Miles then tied things up in the top of the seventh on a RBI fielder's choice. Then in the top of the ninth, Miles retook the lead plating two runs to take a 7-5 lead. Edward Waters could not get things going in the bottom of the ninth and Miles took Game One of the series.

Daquarius Thompkins led EWU at the dish going 2-for-3 with a run scored, while Diaz went 2-for-4 with a double, a homerun, two RBI's and two runs scored. Reliever Austin James took the loss for Edward Waters on the mound. Tiger starter Alexander Davila earned a no-decision going 7.0 innings, allowing nine hits, five earned runs, and eight strikeouts.

(FRIDAY) GAME TWO: Edward Waters 10, Miles 6:
A Leonel Garcia RBI double in the bottom of the first opened things up for EWU in Game Two to give Edward Waters a 1-0 lead. Miles responded with an RBI sacrifice fly in the top of the second to knot the score up at 1-1. In the bottom of the second, things opened up in a big way for the home team as the Tigers plated eight runs. Caden Hutchinson started the party with an RBI double, John Nobles also had an RBI double, Dwanye Maduro connected on an RBI single, Payton Shubert scored on a Miles passed ball, Leonel Garcia hit an RBI single, Leonel Garcia hit an RBi sacrifice fly, and Hutchinson had his second hit of the inning with a two-RBI double to give Edward Waters a commanding 9-1 lead,

Miles would not go away as they hit a three-RBI homer to cut the EWU lead to five at 9-4 in the top of the third. The Golden Bears added two more runs in the top of the fourth to cut the deficit down to three at 9-6. Edward Waters stretched the lead back to four in the bottom of the fifth on a Shubert RBI sacrifice fly to give the Tigers a 10-6 lead that they would maintain through to the end and knot the series up at a game apiece.

Hutchinson led the Tigers going 3-for-3 with two doubles, three RBI's, and two runs scored. Leonel Garcia finished 3-for-4 with two RBI's and a run scored. Sebastian Velez took the victory for the Purple & Orange going 4.0 innings, allowing nine hits, six earned runs, and three strikeouts.

(SATURDAY) GAME THREE: Edward Waters 12, Miles 2/7 Inn:
Miles started things in the top of the first on an RBI fielder's choice to take a 1-0 lead. The Tigers put up a crooked number in the bottom of the second as seven runs crossed the plate for EWU. Daquarius Thompkins hit his second homer of the season, a solo shot over the left field wall. John Nobles then bunted a run home, followed by an Anthony Roman RBI single, a Hugo Schoening two-RBI double, a Leonel Garcia RBI double, and a Thompkins RBI double to give EWU a 7-1 lead. 

The Tigers added five more runs in the bottom of the third starting with a Payton Shubert RBI sacrifice fly, a Schoening two-RBi double, and a Leonel Diaz two RBI double pushed the Tigers lead to double digits at 12-1. Miles could only add one more run in the bottom of the fourth with an RBI single, but the contest was brought to a halt in the top of the seventh via the run-rule and giving Edward Waters the series victory.

Thompkins and Garcia each went 2-for-3 to lead the way for EWU, while Anthony Roman, Schoening, and Diaz each went 2-for-4. The victory went to Dwanye Maduro who went 4.0 innings, allowing just three hits, two earned runs, and three strikeouts. Will Valenti made an apperance in relief for EWU, going 3.0 innings, allowing two hits, two walks, and three strikeouts.

The series victory also brings EWU head coach Reginald Johnson, II just one victory away from career victory #300.

Edward Waters will begin a ten-game road trip next Tuesday in South Carolina as they will face Voorhees in a doubleheader starting at 1:00pm.

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