Sophomore pitcher Ryan Doran picked up his first collegiate win with a gutsy complete game effort in the nightcap of an important PAC doubleheader against Centenary College. The 7-5 win stopped a five game skid and keeps the Eagles (9-18 6-8 PAC) very much alive in the hunt for one of the final two playoff spots.
The Cyclones earned an 8-1 win in the opener as Andrew Koncen held the Eastern bats to just a pair of hits in a seven inning performance. Centenary right fielder Mike Fasano did most of the damage at the plate for the visitors with six RBI including a grand slam in the sixth inning. Davis Murray knocked in the only Eastern run of the game with a two-out single in the bottom of the first.
The Cyclones jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the opener, but a 6-4-5 double play ended the inning and killed the early rally. Centenary then increased the lead to 3-0 with an unearned run in the third.
Eastern battled back with a four-run inning in the third. Murray knocked in his first of the game and second of the day with bases loaded single. Andrew Reynolds then took a pitch in the ribs to drive in another run. Chris Dole tied the game with a suicide squeeze to score Mike Santello. Coach Curley said of the play, "It's not usually a play you make with the bases loaded, but we needed to get something going, and we trusted Chris to get the ball down. We figured the element of surprise would work. He executed very well and we got a big run." Sean Ciletti then knocked in the go-ahead run with a long fly ball to right field.
Centenary loaded the bases in the fourth, but Doran, who pitched out of trouble all day, gave up just a single runner and struck out Centenary's game-one hero Fasano on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded to keep his team in the game.
The Eagles played small ball in the bottom of the fourth. Matt Powell walked to lead off the inning. The Eagles then executed a perfect hit and run with Kenny Long ripping a single into the hole at short. Powell reached third on a close play. the Eastern running game continued as Long then got into a run-down after a good pick off move caught him off the bag. Powell raced home on the play and Long slid safely into second. Kurt Kebaugh laid down a beautiful bunt, and Long scored on an errant throw to give the Eagles a 6-4 lead.
Santello drove in the seventh Eastern run of the game in the fifth inning with another sacrifice fly. The Cyclones again tested Doran in the sixth, but the big right-hander induced a deep fly to right to end the rally with just a single run scored.
Coach Curley was pleased with his team's ability to bounce back and spoke highly of Doran's effort on the mound. In looking forward to tomorrow's game, the Eastern skipper noted that the final game of the series is likely to be a very important one with the way the league breaks ties for play-off spots.
Box Score
Box Score
