ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- Eastern University Baseball answered a six-run eighth inning from Immaculata with matching six-run outburst in the bottom of the inning to earn an 11-9 non-league win at The Yard. Andrew Boykin delivered a three-run homer to cap the rally and lift the Eagles to their 13th win of the year.

The Eagles led 5-3 going into the eventful eighth. Eastern starter Jordan Miller allowed three runs in his six innings of work, and Korey McCormack struck out the side in the seventh.

The visiting Mighty Macs drew a pair of walks to start the inning. With runners on, they started their running game. Immaculata had already plated one run when Dom Ficca came to the plate with runners on second and third. Ficca put down a perfect suicide-squeeze bunt to McCormack's right. The senior right-hander hopped off the mound and fired to first to get the out, but the runner at second never stopped. He beat the throw home for an improbable two-RBI sacrifice bunt. After McCormack gave way to Tyler Sterkenburg and eventually Ian Roth, the Mighty Macs scored two more runs on a pinch-hit double. Immaculata made it 9-5 on a towering sacrifice fly to deep center field.

"From this point on, it is playoff baseball for us," Head Coach Jed Morris said after the game. "We have to execute in pressure situations. Today's game is a non-conference game, but it was really important for us to do things right."

Andrew Check started the eighth with a ringing double to the wall in left. After Shane Albertson reached on an error, Craig Stanley reached on a perfect bunt down the third-base line to load the bases. Stanley finished the afternoon 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and an RBI. Joe De Los Santos came on as a pinch hitter and singled to left-center to cut the Immaculata lead to 9-7. Timmy Gorton legged out an infield single to load the bases for Joe Grato.

In what would prove to be a critical decision, the Immaculata manager lifted his left-handed pitcher to bring in a right-hander to face Grato. Grato, who entered the game hitting close to .500 had drawn an intentional walk earlier in the game. The senior designated hitter lifted a fly ball to left that was plenty deep enough to score the speedy Stanley, and it was up to Boykin with two out and two on.

Boykin, who was 0-for-4 in his first four plate appearances, almost did not get the at bat. Had Immaculata kept the left-hander in the game, Boykin would have been lifted for a pinch-hitter. Morris elected to let his slugging first-baseman take a shot at the right-handed reliever. Boykin took a called strike and then swung through an off-speed pitch to go into an 0-2 hole. 

"I love that Boykin kept on that at-bat," Morris said after the game. " A lot of guys – not just here, but in baseball in general – after having the kind of day he was having, just pack in the at-bat and start looking to the weekend. He stayed committed to his approach and did not miss the mistake." Boykin took a fastball on the outer half to deep left-center for his third home run of the year.

Check came in from center to close the game on the mound. The senior struck out the first batter and induced a pair of pop-up outs to secure his second save of the year. Morris was pleased with Check's emotional leadership after the game. The senior centerfielder  finished 4-for-4 with three runs.

"You have got to be fired up," Morris continued. "This is playoff baseball. We do not have any margin for error now. This is a big step for us as we prepare for what is going to be a huge weekend for us."

Eastern scored four times in the fifth to rally from a 3-0 deficit. Check, Albertson, and Stanley each had infield hits to start the inning. Angelo Kelly delivered a two-run single and Gorton knocked in a run with a single to left. Kelly now has 49 hits this spring. the junior right-fielder is now tied for sixth on Eastern's single-season list. Check also scored on a Jordan Laboy single in the sixth inning.

The Eagles start their regularly scheduled MAC Freedom series with a single game at DeSales on Friday. They will host the Bulldogs for a pair of games at the Yard on Saturday before finishing the weekend with a doubleheader at FDU-Florham.

Saturday's doubleheader will start at noon.