Box Score 1 |
Box Score 2
WEST LAWN, Pa.—Eastern University Baseball dropped the
second game of the Freedom Conference Tournament in a pitchers' duel with the
Misericordia University Cougars on Friday afternoon and then had the season
come to an end with a loss to the DeSales University Bulldogs.
Eastern (16-24) concluded the 2015 season in third place in
the Freedom Conference after being picked to finish in seventh at the beginning
of the year in the coaches' preseason poll.
In a game that only lasted two hours even, both Eastern and
Misericordia's starting pitchers threw complete games, but Misericordia came
away with the 2-0 win.
Eagles' senior pitcher Austin Little had arguably his best
outing, pitching into the eighth for the first time in his career. Little
struck out four batters and only allowed one extra-base hit. Cougars' lefty
Cory Vogeli, this year's conference pitcher of the year, struck out five
batters and surrendered just three hits. Little's pitch count reached 109 and
Vogeli tossed 112 pitches.
Eastern cleanup batter Joe Grato, a right-handed batter,
recorded two of Eastern's three hits. Senior shortstop Ryan McMenamin recorded
the other hit.
The Eagles threatened in the second inning with Grato and
Tommy Strazza reaching with one out. However, the Eagles weren't able to get
any runs home.
Misericordia knocked in the game's first run in the fifth
inning with a double to right field. The Cougars loaded the bases in the fifth
inning, but Little struck out the final batter on a 3-2 pitch to get out of the
jam.
The Cougars tacked on another run in the seventh on a single
to center. The Eagles continued to struggle to solve Vogeli and went down in
order in the final three innings.
An eight-run second inning for the DeSales Bulldogs proved
to be the difference in the second game of the day.
DeSales' Andrew Schuler pitched a gem, allowing one run on
four hits and a walk while fanning 10 Eastern batters. A prolonged second
inning hurt Eagles' starter Chris Marinaccio. Eastern's five relievers went six
innings, allowing one run on five hits while striking out five. Korey McCormack
needed just six pitches to strike out the two batters he faced in the bottom of
the sixth.
The Bulldogs posted eight runs on eight hits, two errors and
a hit-by-pitch in the marathon second inning. Eagles' center fielder Andrew
Check had a nice play for the second out of the inning, nailing a runner at the
plate with a strong throw to catcher Timmy Gorton.
DeSales added an unearned run in the third to up the lead to
9-0. Eastern got a run on the board in the fourth. Gorton hit a triple to left
field and scored on an infield error on a ball hit by Grato.
The careers of seniors Austin Little, Ryan McMenamin and
Eric Rossi concluded on Friday, but their dedication has helped Eastern
Baseball take great strides forward as a program.
