Elgin, Ill. - The Roosevelt baseball team lost a heartbreaker in its series opener with No. 20 Judson on Friday afternoon as the host Eagles rallied from behind with four runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to edge the Lakers, 6-4, at Hoffer Field.

With the loss Roosevelt slips to 5-20 overall on the year and 4-8 in CCAC play. Judson remained on top of the CCAC North Division at 13-3, while improving to 27-8 overall this season.

The Lakers owned a 4-2 lead heading into the bottom of the eighth when starting pitcher Matt Taylor hit the first batter he faced and then walked the next to set the table for Judson. After a fly out to center pushed the lead runner to third, a wild pitch allowed the Eagles to cut the Lakers' advantage to 4-3. Another walk by Taylor loaded the bases and Roosevelt head coach Steve Marchi went to the bullpen and summoned sophomore T.J. Davis.

Davis fanned the first batter he faced and induced a ground ball from the next hitter, but an error by the Roosevelt shortstop extended the inning and loaded the bases for Judson. Tony Rallo, who had homered earlier in the game, followed by drawing a walk that pushed home a run, leveling the score at 4-4. Chris Simon then put Judson in front with a two-run single to left.

Roosevelt attempted to claw back in the ninth, eventually loading the bases with two outs. Judson called upon closer Jordan Pemble to get the final out and the freshman came through, striking out Steve Schwartz to collect his sixth save of the season.

George Heller was the winning pitcher for the Eagles after tossing 3.2 innings of shutout relief. He is now 3-1 this season. Taylor was the hard-luck loser on the mound, falling to 1-3 on the year despite surrendering just three hits and five runs, three earned, in 7.1 innings.

Senior Tony Valdes propelled Roosevelt at the plate, going 2-for-5 with an RBI. He got the Lakers going with an RBI single in the first and then capped a three-run rally in the second inning by driving home a pair on a knock that was later ruled an error. Schwartz also doubled home a run in the second as Roosevelt ended the top of the second with a 4-1 lead.

Rallo cut the lead to 4-2 in the bottom of the second with a solo home run to right.

Senior Ernesto Irizarry also had three hits for Roosevelt on Friday as the Lakers pounded out 11 hits.

Roosevelt and Judson will resume their three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader at Standard Bank Field in Crestwood, Ill. First pitch is set for 1:00 p.m.