ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Softball sophomore Kelsey Clever broke the tie in game two of Wednesday's doubleheader with a leadoff home run in the bottom of the seventh to instantly lift Eastern to a 5-4 win over the Stevenson University Mustangs.
The Eagles split Wednesday's non-conference twin-bill with the Mustangs. Stevenson took game one 3-1.
After only producing four hits in game one, the Eagles rallied for 12 hits in the nightcap. Sophomore catcher Karlee Kerchersky homered for the fourth time this week, going the opposite way this time—a drive over the right field fence.
Meagan Quinn made her first start of the season, scattering seven hits over five innings while striking out one and walking none. The Eagles surrendered a run in the first, second, and fifth innings, and weren't able to provide any run support until the fifth inning. The Eagles loaded the bases and brought one home on an RBI single by Ashton Tomlinson.
Erica Pyla-Gibson, Kasey Williams, Jackie Digiacomo and Kelsey Clever each recorded two hits in the Eagles' walk-off win.
The Eagles picked up a run in the first on an outfield error, but the Mustangs answered right back with a run in the second and two more in the third.
Eastern pulled within one after Clever hit an RBI single to right field to plate Williams who had reached on a leadoff walk. Eastern had a chance to do more damage in the inning but left the bases loaded.
Stevenson made it a 4-2 game in the top of the fifth, but Eastern tied it up in the bottom of the inning. Kerchersky hit her home run, a solo shot, and then later in the inning Pyla-Gibson batted in Digiacomo with a single to center field.
With the game basically reset at 4-4, Alyssa Welsh took the circle and pitched a 1-2-3 sixth and seventh inning.
With the seven, eight, nine hitters due up in the seventh, Eagles' head coach Brittany Stroop began calculating different scenarios to bring a runner into scoring position, but ended up not needing any of those as Clever cranked the first pitch of the seventh over the fence in left center giving Eastern the sudden victory.
Eastern (7-17) resumes conference play on Friday when they host Wilkes University.
