ALLENTOWN, Pa.– With all the rain, snow and wet fields, the baseball teams from Eastern University and Muhlenberg College had several games canceled the early part of the year. The benefit of that was that the two teams were able to arrange a date to pay at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, which is the home of the Iron Pigs, the Triple-A affiliate for the Philadelphia Phillies. The visiting Eagles started slowly and never recovered from an early deficit on the way to a 17-8 loss.

Angelo Kelly reached on a single in the first, but the Eagles did not score. The host Mules scored a run before hitting into a double play in the first inning. The hosts scored another run with two outs in the first. The first four Muhlenberg players to bat in the second inning walked. By the time the inning ended, Muhlenberg had a 7-0 lead. The third inning was not significantly better. The Mules tacked on five more runs to go up 12-0. Roniel Diaz retired the first batter he faced and worked a scoreless fourth inning.

Eastern scored twice in the fourth and a single run in the fifth to close the gap, but the Mules broke the game back open with a five-run fifth inning.

The Eagles scored the final five runs of the game, but the deficit was too great. Kyle Daddario did not allow a run in two innings of relief. He also had an RBI in the game. Timmy Gorton scored twice and hit his 12th double of the year. Angelo Kelly had a pair of hits.

The Eagles return to MAC Freedom competition when they host DeSales in a nine inning game on Thursday at 3:30.