In order to qualify for the Freedom Playoffs, Eastern University Baseball entered today's action needing several things to go the right way. None of those things did. Misericordia University hit three home runs and put together a four-run seventh inning to earn a 10-5 win in St. Davids. 

The Cougars got on the board early when Nate Neumann drove his team-best 13th home run to right-center for a 2-0 lead. The Cougars then manufactured an unearned run in the top of the fourth against Eastern starter Kyle Kurdewan.

Eastern rallied for two on a Greg DeSarro homer in the bottom of the inning, but the tying run was disallowed by a base-running blunder on the deep shot to right center. 

Misericordia (20-17, 6-13) scored two more in the top of the fifth to go up 5-2. Kurt Kebaugh and Ramon Reyes delivered 2 out hits in the 6th and 7th to close the gap to 6-5, but the Cougars put the Eastern defense in a situation with no one out in the eighth. By the time the dust had cleared, the visitors held a 10-5 lead and the Eagles had just six outs to get the runs back.

Misericordia reliever Matt Karabin was able to earn the seven out save without giving up a run. The loss itself would not have eliminated the Eagles (20-14, 9-10) from playoff consideration,but Manhattanville beat King's in the opening game of that series. The Best the Eagles can do now is tie one of those two teams at 11-10. As both those teams won the season series, the Eagles are now mathematically eliminated.

Eastern, which will certainly be among the most improved programs in the country, will have a chance to reach several program milestones in their doubleheader at Misericordia tomorrow. 

Box Score