When the Freedom Conference Preseason Poll came out a few weeks back, members of the Eastern University softball program took a look at the poll and commented that they were going to have to surprise some people. The Eagles, picked ninth in the nine-team Freedom, did not take long to deliver their first surprise as they rallied from a 3-1 deficit to beat league-favorite DeSales 4-3 in eight innings in the first game of their first conference doubleheader. The Eagles stumbled to a 12-2 loss in the second game.
DeSales took advantage of a pair of unearned runs in the top of the first, as Kelly Moran smacked a two-out double to plate a pair of runners. Eastern starter Maggie McGowan helped get one run back in the bottom of the inning with a fielder's choice to knock in senior Alissa Brubaker.
DeSales stretched the lead to 3-1 in the top of the third when sophomore catcher Kristin Schultz coaxed a bases loaded walk. McGowan escaped the jam without further damage and settled in to a good rhythm for the remainder of the game. She would allow just two more hits over the last five innings of the game.
McGowan started the action in the sixth with a solid single and advanced on a bunt from Amy Bellows. Senior center fielder Karen Hertzog ripped a single, but McGowan held at third. Jaclyn Gangemi hit a deep sacrifice fly to center field to drive in her classmate and push Hertzog to second, but a ground out ended the rally and the Eagles trailed 3-2 heading to the seventh.
After the Bulldogs went quietly in the top half, Samantha Terenzoni ripped a one-out double off the center field fence to get into scoring position. Kate Phelan came through with a two out single to send the game to extra innings.
McGowan continued her strong pitching performance through the eighth, and Hertzog led off the eighth with a ringing double. Gangemi sacrificed to move her captain along. Hertzog slid under the tag with the game winner after first year outfielder Jaimie Schwartz hit a ground ball to the right side.
The Bulldogs broke open game two with a nine run third inning. The Eagles cut into the DeSales lead with a two-run rally in the fourth, but DeSales plated three more runs in the top of the fifth to end the game.
Eastern Head Coach Colleen Stuppy was pleased with her team's rally in the first game, but a little bothered by the execution errors in the second. "You hate to split after winning the first game in dramatic fashion like that. We did not play very well in the second game, but we battled back in the first."
The Eagles (7-5, 1-1) return to action in the Freedom Conference when they travel to King's College next Wednesday.
