ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- A late home run and several good defensive plays late were not enough as Eastern University Baseball dropped a 6-4 decision to visiting Swarthmore College in a non-league contest. 

Neither starter had good command at the outset, and walks led to each team scoring a pair in the first. The damage in the top of the inning might have been worse, but first year catcher Derek Ryan threw behind a baserunner for the third out of the frame.  Mike McNulty walked with the bases loaded to give the Eagles their first run, and Greg DeSarro lifted a deep fly ball for the second tally.

TThe Eagles, however, could not hold the lead, as the Garnet put the first two runners on in the second to chase Eastern starter Lucas Bremmerman. Joel Rios gave up an RBI double on his first pitch before settling inot a rhythm. The senior reliever allowed one run over three innings.

Swarthmore starter Andy Allen also settled into a rhythm. The lanky left-hander kept the Eagles off balance and allowed only an infield single from Brendan Spall between the first and seventh innings. Swarthmore picked up a single tally off Matt Martin in the sixth to stretch their lead to 6-2. Spall made a great diving play on a ground ball to his left  to help Martin out of the inning.

Renauro homered to left-center in the seventh after Devon Ziegunfuss walked and stole second.The junior shortstop is now two RBIs short of the Eastern career mark.

Kristian Cortizo was able to work out of a bases loaded jam in the eighth with a double play ball, and Ernie Stiegler worked out of bases-loaded jam in the ninth with a pair of strikeouts, but the Eastern offense was not able to generate another run to pick up the win. 

Eastern (10-17-2) is back in action with another non-league contest at Franklin and Marshall College tomorrow.

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