Eastern Softball hosted Delaware Valley College for their final home game of the 2009 season. Seniors Allissa Brubaker and Karen Hertzog each played a critical role in the Eagles's dramatic seventh inning rally as the Eagles came back from a three-run deficit to win game two 8-7.

In the second game, sophomore starter Kristine Rosko had things on automatic early as she kept the Del Val hitters off balance and allowed just two hits through six innings. The Eagles, meanwhile, plated a pair of runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth to seize a 4-0 lead going into the top of the seventh.

Val Heffline knocked in the two runs in the fourth with a two-out single. Hertzog led off the sixth with a double off the top of the center field fence. Jaclyn Gangemi doubled as well, but Hertzog had to hold at third on the play. Heffline lifted a fly ball to right to plate the important insurance run, and Amy Bellows hit a single down the right field line to drive in Gangemi.

The Aggies, who had hit four home runs in winning the opener 9-2, finally started to time Rosko, and they took advantage of an early error to put together a seven run seventh. All seven runs scored with two out in the inning. Rosko was almost out of the jam with a good pitch on a two-two count to Crystal Diaz, but the umpire's right hand stayed down, and Diaz hit the next pitch to left for the third consecutive two-out single to pull the Aggies to within a run. Bethany Pavlik singled home the tying run and Erin Fox hit her second homer of the day to put the visitors up 7-4.

The Eagles came to the plate in the bottom of the inning with the top of the order up. Brubaker, who had been robbed of extra bases on a shot to left in her previous at bat, decided to try the other side and lifted a drive to right center for a double to start the inning. Freshman DH SamTerenzoni turned on the next pitch and cracked a shot down the third base line for a double. The Eastern hopes took a hit when Terenzoni got caught in a rundown between second and third on the play.

Undetered, the Eagles still had the heart of the order coming up and appeared to grow in confidence. Maggie McGowan scalded a grounder right over the second base bag to restart the rally. Hertzog lined a single to center, her third hit of the day, to keep the inning alive. Both runners moved up a base on a wild pitch, and Gangemi came to the plate in a big spot. The freshman third baseman lined the first good pitch she saw into center to plate both McGowan and Hertzog. 

Molly Oberholzer did not have hit when she came to the plate with one out and a runner on first. Eastern's sophomore catcher turned on inside pitch and pulled a shot down the third base line and into the corner. To the delight of the Eastern squad and the growing home crowd, Gangemi beat the throw home for the dramatic win. 

Hertzog and Brubaker received flowers from the team following the final home win of their career. In the celebration and after the game, Hertzog referenced what has been on the minds of many on the team throughout the year as she thanked her team for coming together and commented that "Coach would have been really proud of us the way we came together." 

The Eastern team overcame a great deal during the year. Even through the tough times the team was committed to honor the memory of Coach Ambler. Brubaker and Hertzog each played four years at Eastern and took on great responsibility through the unexpected transition of the year.

The young Eagles, who were picked to finish last in the preseason poll, picked up their sixth league win with the victory today. They will conclude their season with a non-league doubleheader at Wesley College on Saturday. 

Game 1 Box

Game 2 Box