Box Score ST. DAVIDS, Pa.–For the fourth time in four league series, Eastern University Baseball put up double-digit runs in the nine-inning opening game. Unfortunately for the Eagles, their 13 run outburst today was not enough as the visiting DeSales University Bulldogs hit a two-run home run in the top of the tenth inning and held on for a 15-13 win.
The Eagles chased the DeSales starting pitcher with five runs before making a third out in the game. That 5-0 lead, however, was short-lived. The Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the second and, after the Eagles struck for two in the bottom of the second, posted their own five-run inning to lead 8-7 heading into the bottom of third. The Bulldogs hit two home runs in the top of the third.
Timmy Gorton drove in a run with a fielder's choice in the third to tie the game at 8-8. The DeSales lead grew to 13-9 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
After
Shane Albertson was hit by a pitch,
Angelo Kelly pulled a single into right field to greet a new DeSales pitcher, which brought
Timmy Gorton to the plate. Gorton already had two RBI's in the game. The junior catcher blasted his second home run of the year over the fence in left-center to close the gap to a single run.
Andrew Boykin then turned on an inside pitch and blasted his third home run of the year into the Eastern bullpen to tie the score.
It looked like the rally might continue when
Freddy Yahn doubled and
Jordan Laboy moved him to third with a bunt, but the next two Eastern hitters were not able to get good enough contact on the ball to drive in the go-ahead run.
Tommy Strazza, on in relief, worked through the top of the eighth very efficiently and the Eagles had a chance to take the lead with the top of the line-up coming up in the eighth.
Angelo Kelly legged out a double to center field, but in doing so left first base open. DeSales, having seen enough of Gorton for the day, intentionally walked him to face Boykin. Gorton is 22-for-39 (.564) with RBI opportunities this year and is hitting .517 with runners on base. With his five RBI's today, Gorton equalled his season total from last year and reached 100 RBI's for his career.
Boykin, who hits over .370 with power against right-handed pitching, was not to be a bargain either, but Tyler Cooperman, DeSales' senior reliever, got a pitch in on the hands to Boykin for a fly out to end the rally. The Eagles put two more runners on after Strazza threw a perfect ninth inning, but
Craig Stanley's hard line drive went right to the shortstop to end the rally.
Albertson came on to pitch in the 10th and struck out two with a runner on first when he had to face Sergio Diaz, the DeSales First Baseman. Diaz already had a double and three hits, and he lined a pitch on the outer half over the right-center field fence to put the Bulldogs back up.
The Eagles still had hope with Albertson, Kelly, and Gorton coming to the plate, but Albertson was robbed by a great play on a hard-hit line drive in left, and Kelly grounded out to second to bring Gorton up with no one on. Gorton hit a line drive to left to end the game.
The Eagles have two more games with DeSales scheduled for Saturday.
