Box Score
ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Baseball clinched a 6-5
victory in the home opener on Wednesday after scoring two runs in the ninth
against the FDU-Florham Devils.
Strangely enough, the win wasn't a walkoff for the Eagles as
they were playing the role of the visiting team Wednesday. The game was moved
from FDU-Florham to Eastern because of snow in Madison, N.J.
Eastern fell behind by a run in the bottom of the eighth but
rallied to tie and go ahead in the top of the ninth. In the ninth, Eastern's Andrew Check smashed a
two-out infield single off of the FDU-Florham first baseman to bat in Joe Grato.
Check then stole second base on the second pitch to the next batter to move
into scoring position as the go-ahead run.
With Eastern down to its last strike in the inning,
FDU-Florham's closer threw a ball in the dirt. Check darted for third, and FDU's
catcher tried to nail him at the bag, but his throw sailed past the third
baseman and into the outfield, allowing Check to race home at give Eastern the
6-5 lead.
Check, who moved from center field to pitcher in the eighth
inning, had taken the hill with the unenviable task of inheriting a
bases-loaded situation with just one out. The Devils scored two runs off Check
on a single, but after that he escaped the eighth inning with a double play
turned by Ryan McMenamin. McMenamin leapt and snagged a line drive at short and
gunned down the runner attempting to return to first.
After helping himself recover the lead in the top of the
ninth, Check retired the Devils in order in the bottom of the ninth and secured
the win.
The Eagles powered 14 hits on the day and everyone in the starting
lineup tallied a hit. Freshman third baseman Timmy Gorton clubbed a game-high
three hits in five at-bats and all three were doubles. Joe Grato, Andrew Check
and Tommy Strazza each had two hits.
Gorton knocked in the first run of the game in the first
frame, doubling to right center to score Ryan McMenamin who had just doubled to
right as well. Gorton again knocked in McMenamin in the third inning on a
double to right that put Eastern ahead 2-0.
In the bottom of the fourth, Eastern had a sloppy inning
defensively and FDU-Florham loaded the bases with no outs. However, the Devils
only scored a run on a sacrifice fly. Eagles' starting pitcher Ryan Kehr worked
his way out of the jam and retired the next two batters. Kehr, who took a no
decision, threw six innings. He allowed four hits and three walks while fanning
three batters. Kehr induced 11 of his outs via ground outs.
The Eagles took advantage of an infield error in the sixth
inning to score two runs on a ball hit by Strazza. FDU-Florham matched the
Eagles' two runs in the bottom of the sixth to creep within one run, 4-3.
Eastern, now 5-9 this season, improved to 2-2 in the Freedom
Conference. The Eagles continue conference play Thursday at home against
DeSales University.
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