ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- A late rally was not enough as Eastern University Baseball fell 18-15 in a 3 hour and 35 minute series-opener against Misericordia (30-6, 16-3 Freedom). The Eagles trailed 18-5 midway through the sixth, but they had the tying run on deck when the game ended nearly an hour and a half later.

After retiring the first batter in the third inning, Eastern starter Nick Moeltner (4-6) allowed seven straight hitters to reach and the visiting Cougars eventually pieced together an 11-run inning. Barry Jost came on in relief, but he fared only marginally better as he walked, one hit, one and allowed a colassal shot to left center by Cougar centerfielder Kenny Durling. Durling's three-run blast was his first of two home-runs on the day. 

Dillon Schwartzer and André Butler singled to lead off the bottom of the third and advanced on a passed ball, Eastern scratched out three runs off Misericordia starter Evan Roaczewski. Scott Renauro hit an RBI double to left and Dave Prager and Greg DeSarro drove in runs with ground outs.

The game picked up dramatic personality in the fourth after Spall and Schwartzer reached with two outs. Butler, who was 4-for-6 on the day, drove a ball to the fence in right center. He reached third easily and tried to score when the throw from right went over the third baseman's head. The throw home beat him, but was in foul ground by three feet or so. Butler slid inside and was called out on the play. 

The Cougars added four in the fifth and two more in the sixth. The damage in the sixth could have been worse, but Lucas Bremmerman struck out the final two batters of the inning to strand a pair of bases. From that point on the Eagles started to build. 

Eastern (20-16, 8-11) scored a pair on three hits in the sixth, and Gary Moses faced only three batters in retiring the side in the top of the seventh. Moses went three scoreless to close the game. He was the beneficiary of three double plays in his three innings of work. The Eagles turned four twin-killings on the afternoon.

Butler drove in two more runs with a double in the seventh. Renauro, who was 5-for-6 on the afternoon hit a solid line drive to center to end the inning with the Eagles trailing 18-9.

Schwartzer walked with one out in the ninth and butler turned on a fastball and drove it to deep left-center. Durling, who had already achieved nemesis status with his home runs, made a tremendous sliding catch at the fence to retire Butler for the second out of the inning. The Eagles then took the approach of get it to the next guy. Renauro singled to center and Prager walked. Andrew DiFerdinando singled to center and Kristian Cortizo walked. 

Devon Ziegenfus hit a bases-loaded single to center to score Prager and keep the bases full for freshman catcher Eric Rossi. Rossi turned on an inside pitch and hit the top half of the right-field fence for a bases-clearing double. 

Ultimately, the Eagles ran out of outs, but there was some momentum gained in the latter part of the game that could prove useful as the series progresses tomorrow. The top third of the order went 11-for-17 with 8 RBIs and four extra-base hits. 

The two teams are back in action tomorrow at Misericordia. The Eagles need to take at least one game to finish ahead of Manhattanville. The Valiants, who are tied by record but hold the tie-breaker, host DeSales in the other games of consequence in the league tomorrow.

Box Score