After Friday's disappointing home loss to Misericordia, Eastern University Baseball traveled to Dallas for the final two games of the series with the Cougars. The Eagles earned a 5-2 win in a nine-inning opener, but they lost 8-7 in the second game to drop the series.

The extra-inning win in the opener added to the school record for wins and gave the Eagles a chance to secure a winning record in the Freedom Conference. Mike McNulty started and went eight solid innings against Misericordia's potent line-up. The junior right-hander surrendered just five hits and a pair of runs to pick up the win.

The Eastern offense, however, was unable to generate more than single tallies in the second and the sixth. McNulty hit a solo home run to lead off the second, and André Butler doubled and scored on an error to tie the game in the sixth.

McNulty was lifted for a pinch-runner in the ninth, and Joel Rios closed the game with the three-run cushion. The Eastern offense came to life in the ninth. McNulty drew a walk, and Greg Lukasik joined pinch-runner Jesse Taylor on base with a two-out walk. Matt Horican then loaded the bases when he was hit by a pitch. Kurt Kebaugh drove in the game-winning run when he took an inside pitch off the body. Butler then delivered the big blow of the inning with a single.

Rios gave up a pair of hits and three base-runners in the bottom of the inning, but he struck out the final batter of the day to earn the save. 

"We pitched really well in the opener," Eastern skipper Matt Midkiff related, "Mike was really good to start. This was one of the best outings we have had from a starter this year. They hit it pretty well, and those two were able to keep them in check."

The Eagles scored first on a Dan Garcia homer in the second game, but a five run first from the host Cougars put Eastern in a hole early. Joel Rios, Garcia, Ramon Reyes, and Matt Horican each had a pair of hits in game two, but the Eagles were never able to grab the lead.

Eastern, picked to finish last in the Freedom Conference, finishes the conference slate with at least one win over each team in the league. Coach Midkiff's squad finishes alone in fifth. 

The Eagles (21-15, 10-11 Freedom) will play a non-league doubleheader at Wesley College on Wednesday the fifth.

Box Score Game 1