ST. DAVIDS, Pa.--Eastern University Softball took its home field for the first time this season on Thursday but had the home opener taken from them by the DeSales University Bulldogs. The Bulldogs won game one 4-1 and stole game two 6-4.
Eastern was one strike away from salvaging a split in the doubleheader, but DeSales' Carly Bartholomew launched a three-run home run in the seventh inning to take the lead for good.
The Eagles tallied eight hits in both contests while DeSales posted nine and 13. Eastern leadoff batter Ashton Tomlinson had a team-best four hits in eight at-bats.
In game one, the Eagles struck first. In the bottom of the first, Erica Pyla-Gibson doubled and then was batted in by Emily Houck on a line drive that caromed off the pitcher's glove.
After going down in order in the second, the Eagles had at least one base-runner in each inning, but failed to bring them home.
DeSales took a 2-1 lead in the third and then doubled their score in the sixth with a two-run home run to left field by Samantha Gibson.
DeSales pitcher DJ McCauley struck out nine Eagles en route to the win. Haleigh Williams fanned two batters in the loss.
In game two, the Eagles again scored in the first inning, this time on a wild pitch. The Eagles, however, did have a runner gunned down at home plate on a squeeze play and then left two runners on in the inning.
Deanna Laughman ripped an RBI double to score Kristen Waters in the second inning. Laughman later scored on a wild pitch, the fifth of the game for DeSales.
Eastern's lead increased to 4-2 with an RBI-double by Pyla-Gibson. However, the Eagles missed an opportunity to add some insurance runs and left the bases loaded in the inning.
In the top of the seventh, two DeSales batters reached off of pitcher Alyssa Welsh. With one out, Tomlinson made a running catch near the fence on what looked like a home run off the bat. After DeSales scored a run on an RBI-single, Kristen Waters moved from left field to pitcher. DeSales would hit to center field again, but this time Tomlinson ran out of real estate and Carly Bartholomew's two-out, two-strike, three-run home run sailed over the fence.
Eastern has to wait until Wednesday for a chance to bounce back. The Eagles host Manhattanville at 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
Game One Box Score
Game Two Box Score
