ST. DAVIDS, Pa.—Eastern University Baseball's hopes of playing in a conference tournament game for the first time since 2001 stayed alive on Friday with a 7-4 win over the Delaware Valley University Aggies and some help from around the league.

The Eagles (8-11 Freedom) entered the game needing to sweep Delaware Valley (2-12 Freedom) in this weekend's three-game series, the final series of the year for Eastern. The Eagles' fate wasn't entirely in their hands, however. One more win by Wilkes University (10-9 Freedom) or four more wins by FDU-Florham (7-10 Freedom) would eliminate Eastern from grabbing a playoff berth. As Eastern took the lead over Del Val on Friday, Wilkes was in the meantime looking well on its way to taking the final playoff spot with a nine-run lead over DeSales University in the sixth inning. After Eastern's game ended, Eagles' players huddled around their smartphones to follow the livestats of the DeSales/Wilkes game. DeSales ended up out-scoring Wilkes 12-1 in the final three innings.

Eastern senior left fielder Eric Rossi, playing in his final home game, pounded a triple off the top of the fence and then launched a home run deep to center field. Rossi's 2-for-4 day yielded four of Eastern's seven runs. Freshmen Timmy Gorton and Cal Sanelli each had 3-for-4 days at the plate, and senior shortstop Ryan McMenamin batted 2-for-5.

Chris Marinaccio went seven innings on the mound in the win, allowing four runs while striking out three. Nick Centeno pitched a scoreless eighth and ninth to earn his second save this season.

Del Val scored two runs in the first inning, but Eastern responded in the bottom of the inning. With two down, Gorton singled and Joe Grato walked. Rossi then smashed a triple off the top of the fence in right, but the ball's backspin pulled it back into play.

The Aggies added a run in the third on a solo home run by Kyle Wenger. In the bottom of the fourth, Eastern pulled back into the lead with another pair of runs. Once again with the first two batters of the inning retired, the Eagles kept the inning alive. Sanelli singled to right and Mike McCracken reached on error at third. Ryan McMenamin punched a single up the middle to score both Sanelli and McCracken.

In the seventh, the Aggies put two runners on and a double to left center by Matt DeWald brought home one run. The Aggies tried to score a second run on the play, but McMenamin's relay throw home nailed the runner at the plate. With the game knotted at 4-4 and a runner on second, the Aggies went to the bullpen, but Rossi gave the new reliever a rude welcome, smashing a two-run home run to deep center and giving Eastern the 6-4 lead.

The Eagles added an insurance run in the eighth and then got Del Val to leave two runners on in the ninth to end the game.

Eastern travels to Delaware Valley on Saturday for a doubleheader starting at noon. The Eagles will certainly be checking on scores from around the league throughout the day.

Box Score