and experienced Scarlet Knight team picked to finish near the top of the conference. Ben Jones and Zach Clouser each did their work and kept their team in the game. The Eastern offense was unable to generate run support in game one for Jones who pitched seven solid innings in the game one loss. Sprague went six plus innings in the second and earned the win. Nolan Potter came on to help the Eagles out of a bases loade-no-out jam the top of the seventh to earn the save.

On Friday, the Eagles fell behind early as Arcadia scored in the first and then roughed up Eastern starter Andrew Reynolds for six runs in the third. As they have been in the habit of doing, the Eagles responded to a tough inning with a burst of their own. Mike Santello sparked a three run fourth inning rally with a lead of single. Kenny Long banged a triple to score Santello, and then scored when Davis Murray reached on an error. Sean Ciletti then drove in Murray with a double.

Reynolds faced just seven batters through the fourth and fifth, and the Eagles were able to tie the game with a four run sixth. Freshman Dan Wilson delivered the big blow with a two RBI single. The Scarlet Knights retook the lead in the bottom of the sixth, and were able to hold on for the win.

On Saturday, the Eagles were to start two freshmen and had to hold pitching back for a Sunday double-header. Jones allowed just two base runners and a single run in the first four innings, but the Eastern hitters continued to hit balls at Arcadia defensive players, and Junior lefthander John Squire was able to pitch his way out of jams in the first the third and the fourth.

Arcadia opened up the game in the fifth with four runs on six hits. Squire and Jones both closed the door on the offenses to finish the game.

The Eagles again fell behind in the first inning of the series finale on a walk an a double, but Clouser, who finished Friday night's game on the mound, settled down and kept the Arcadia hitters off balance. Arcadia stretched their lead to 3-0 when they scratched out a pair of unearned runs in the top of the fourth.

Reynolds led off the home half of the fourth with a single and a stolen base, and aggressive base-running of the Eagles began to pay dividends. After a Ciletti walk, and a fielders choice, the Eagles took advantage of a wild pitch to put runners on second and third with Wilson at the dish. Wilson knocked a solid single to center to score both and close the the gap to 3-2.

Freshman Matt Powell took advantage of a huge hole on the right side of the infield on beautifully executed hit and run. Powell then swiped second. Jim Crowley, yet another freshman in the Eastern line-up hit a sharp grounder to the right side of the infield to plate Wilson and tie the game.

After Clouser set down Arcadia in the top of the fifth, the top of the Eastern line-up produced a pair of runs without a hit. Three walks and a hit by pitch and a sharp ground ball put the Eagles up 5-3.

In a critical sixth, the Eastern bats refused to rest. The Eagles loaded the bases with one out, and Reynolds yanked a 2 RBI single down the right field line to double the Eastern lead and provide the final margin of victory.

Clouser went out for the seventh with a four run lead, but quickly fatigued. Potter entered the game with a three run lead, the bases loaded, and nobody out. The crafty right-hander allowed just a single inherited base runner to score on a deep fly to center before a fielder's choice ended the game.

The coaching staff, while thrilled with the performance of their freshmen pitchers and the second game performance of the entire team, but they also felt Friday's game just slipped away. The coaching staff was particularly pleased with the style of team baseball they played in the final game of the series.

Eastern returns to action Sunday afternoon against Neumann.

Game 1 Box
Game 2 Box