ANNVILLE, Pa.—Eastern University Baseball's non-conference showdown with Lebanon Valley College last season was an unforgettable contest in which Eastern erased a 14-run deficit and won via a walk-off grand slam by Joe Grato. Wednesday afternoon's game was not without its share of drama either; however, the Eagles couldn't complete the comeback this time.

The Eagles scored two runs in the top of the ninth and had two runners on base, but came up a run short, falling 10-9 to the Dutchmen.

The first two Eastern batters in the top of the ninth stuck out swinging, but Andrew Boykin walked to keep the inning alive and then moved to second on a balk. Craig Stanley moved Boykin to third on a single to right, and then Andrew Check singled up the middle to score Boykin and Stanley and bring Eastern within one run. 

Check scrambled over to third after LVC's pitcher threw away a pickoff attempt. With the potential tying run just 90 feet away, the Eagles brought in Grato to pinch hit after LVC went to another reliever. Grato's chance to complete a comeback against the Dutchmen for the second year in a row was taken out of his hands when he was hit by the third pitch of the at-bat. 

The Eagles had runners on the corners, down one, but the comeback was not to be this year. Pinch hitter Joe de los Santos had his grounder cut off by the shortstop who flipped to second to end the ball game.

Eastern scored a run in each of the first three innings, but LVC clocked four runs in the first frame and two runs in the second and a third. Another run for the Dutchmen in the fourth stretched their lead to 9-3.

A leadoff single by Stanley in the top of the sixth jumpstarted a three-run inning for the Eagles. Stanley moved to third on a Check single and then scored on an outfield error off a ball hit by Cal Sanelli. Alex Doelp sacrifice bunted Check to third allowing him to score on the the next at-bat, an RBI-groundout by Angelo Kelly. Sanelli came home as Ryan McMenamin went first pitch swinging and singled through the left side.

Check batted in Andrew Boykin in the seventh to cut Eastern's deficit down to two runs. LVC brought its lead back up to three with a sac fly in the bottom half of the inning.

Check led the Eagles with a 4-for-5 day from the dish with three RBIs. Angelo Kelly and Craig Stanley each had three hits. Andrew Boykin, Ryan McMenamin and Timmy Gorton each had a base-knock. Gorton had an RBI-triple, his 15th extra-base hit of the season.

Eastern out-hit Lebanon Valley 13-12, but also had one more error than the Dutchmen, 6-5.

The Eagles lead only lasted the first half-inning. Starting pitcher Bryan Sztukowski took the loss. Jordan Miller pitched four innings of middle relief, allowing one run on four hits and no walks. Korey McCormack threw the final two innings, allowing one run on two hits while striking out two.

Eastern (11-20), has its playoff hopes resting in this weekend's series with Delaware Valley. The Eagles need to sweep Delaware Valley and have Wilkes get swept by DeSales this weekend. 

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