Eastern University Baseball used a strong seven inning outing from first year pitcher Nick Moeltner and 15 hits to win their home opener 14-5 over Immaculata University. Moeltner gave up just two hits and just a single earned run to earn his first collegiate win. Five different Eagles, including the first four hitters in the line-up, registered two-hit days. Catcher Ramon Reyes finished with three RBI.

After Chancellor Hall opened the 2010 home slate with a ceremonial first pitch --a cutter on the inside corner--, the Eagles scuffled through a rough opening half inning to start the game. The first two Mighty Macs reached on errors and Moeltner hit a pair of batters. The freshman right-hander was ahead of both hitters, but the second hit-by-pitch forced in the first run of the game. Immaculata scored their second run of the game on a 6-4-3 double play and Moeltner escaped further damage with his first of six strike outs on the afternoon.

The Eagles responded with five in the bottom of the first. Scott Renauro doubled to right-center and advanced to third on a ground out. Dan Garcia cut the lead in half with an RBI single. The senior second baseman reached base three times and batted in a pair. After Mike McNulty reached on a hit-by-pitch, Matt Horican sliced an outside fastball down the left-field line for an RBI double. Reyes, Greg Lukasik, and Kurt Kebaugh each picked up RBI to close the inning.

Moeltner allowed a two-out single up the middle in the second, but he induced another ground ball to end the inning. The Eagles also went quietly in the second. When Matt Hardy hit a solo blast in the top of the third, he would become the last Mighty Mac to reach base against Moeltner.

After failing to score in the third, the Eagles restored their three run edge with a single tally in the fourth. Kurt Kebaugh reached on a walk and advanced to third on an André Butler single. Renauro then drove Kebaugh home with a fly ball to center field. The Mighty Macs escaped further damage with a line-drive double play on a rocket off Joel Rios' bat. 

The Eastern bats continued to show signs of life in the fifth as Garcia and McNulty both squared up pitches for hard-hit singles. Reyes knocked both players home with another hard hit single. After Reyes stole a base, Lukasik then picked up his second RBI of the contest with another single.

The top of the Eastern order did more damage in the bottom of the sixth as Renauro and Rios both singled and McNulty stroked an RBI double. All told, Eastern scored four times on four hits to grab a 13-3 lead going into the seventh. 

Moeltner took the hill in the top of the seventh with his pitch count still in the sixties, and he finished his day with a routine ground ball out and a pair of strike outs. Pitching coach Dave Lorber was pleased with Moeltner's day. He said, "Nick went out there and threw strikes. He had good command and was able to move the ball around to keep them off balance. He let his defense work behind him." Hardy's home run in the third was the only ball to leave the infield against Moeltner.

The Eagles made it 14-3 in the seventh before the Mighty Macs put two on the board against the Eastern bullpen in the eighth. The Eagles sent three batters to the plate in the eighth before the umpires called the game for darkness. 

Eastern skipper Matt Midkiff was pleased with his team's progress. He said, "We had a rough first inning, but once we got that out of the way, we made some good plays in the field behind Nick and we were able to pick our pitches and drive the ball. McNulty is seeing the ball really well, and I feel like our guys are getting good at bats."

The Eagles (4-3) are scheduled to return to action Saturday in a second home game against the Mighty Macs. That game will start, weather permitting, at 1:00 pm. Check www.goeasterneagles.com for further updates.

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