LANCASTER, Pa. - Eastern Baseball used two four-run innings to defeat host Lancaster Bible College on Wednesday afternoon 12-9. The Eagles cranked out 16 hits, six of them extra base hits, and overcame six errors to earn the victory and move to 2-0 this week in out of conference play. 

"Our lineup is really tough on opposing pitchers right now," said Head Coach Jed Morris. "We can wear pitchers down in a few different ways, plus with Angelo, Timmy, Grato at the top absolutely on fire, there is no one to pitch around."

Eastern (8-9-2) jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning. After Angelo Kelly had led off the game with a walk, Timmy Gorton homered the very next at-bat to plate the opening runs of the game. 

After Lancaster Bible (8-9) took a 3-2 lead, scoring two runs in the bottom of the third inning the Eagles came back to tie the game in the top fourth inning before tacking on four runs in the fifth. Joe Grato singled and advanced to second to give Eastern runner in scoring position. Andrew Boykin drove Grato in to give the Eagles the lead, 4-3, and then tacked on three more after loading the bases. Three straight walks by Eagles batters walked in runs to stretch the lead to 7-3. 

A three-run bottom of the sixth inning by the Chargers cut the deficit to just one, 7-6, with three innings left to go. The Eastern offense came alive once again in the top of the seventh. Gorton singled to drive in Peter Crawford to extend the lead to 8-6 before Grato belted a three-run homer to stretch the lead to 11-6.

"Boykin and Check continue to get on base or cash in runs," continued Morris. "Albertson is starting to heat up as well. Strazza had an off day, but he is also a very good hitter." 
 
Each team traded runs in the eighth inning to make it a 12-7 game heading into the ninth inning. Lancaster Bible earned back-to-back walks and then loaded the bases after the Eagles sixth error of the day. A double-play, plated one run to cut the deficit to four, 12-8 before a double scored another run to make the score final at 12-9. 

Overall Eastern tallied six extra-base hits, four doubles, and two home runs and earned nine walks. Gorton finished the game going 3-6, scoring two runs with four RBI's while Grato went 4-6 scoring two runs with three RBI's. 

"Today we didn't play flawless defense or throw enough strikes," concluded Morris. "However, we made up for it with our bats and a few pitchers coming up big in tough spots."

Eastern hosts FDU-Florham on April 1st at 3:30 pm in the first game of a three-game series.