MYRTLE BEACH, S.C.–
Tyler Bennett allowed only two hits and a single run in five innings of work, but Eastern University Baseball was unable to hold onto the lead in a nine-inning loss to the York College Spartans (3-1). The Spartans scored seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to break open a close game and earn the 15-7 win.
How it Happened:
Bennett struck out a pair of hitters in a scoreless first, and the Eagles grabbed an early lead on a Zach Belansek ground out in the bottom of the inning. Bennett worked around a two-out single in the second for another scoreless frame.
Britton Lawrence drove in
Thomas Aguila with a single in the second, but the Eagles left the bases loaded on a Belansek fly out to center.
Two walks early in the fourth put Bennett in his first jam of the day. The runners reached second and third with no one out. York plated one run on a sacrifice fly, but Bennett escaped without further damage. MAtt Poma and Aguila picked up RBI's in the bottom of the fifth to stretch the Eastern lead to 4-1.
The Spartans chipped away at the Eastern lead with two runs in sixth and then grabbed a 6-4 edge three more in the seventh. Belansek led off the bottom of the seventh with a home run, and the Eagles put two more runners on, but York kept the lead.
York led 8-5 heading into the top of the ninth. The first three hitters reached base, and the inning avalanched. Eastern struck back for two and had the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth, but there were not enough outs for a comeback.
Coach Renauro says:
"The score did not indicate how the game was actually played today. After coming off two bad losses, we did a nice job battling. We had a good start from Bennett. We couldn't hold the lead. Pitching has been worked all week and we fell behind hitters too often. Having so many games in a week is difficult on arms but its a great time to see how we respond. Even though we don't have the record we would like coming back up north, we are a young team and are encouraged from what we see."
Up Next:
The Eagles (1-7) are slated to play a Neutral site doubleheader against Frostburg State University at Harford County Community College on Saturday.
