ST. DAVIDS, Pa.- Eastern University Baseball scored five first-inning runs and held on for a 7-6 MAC Freedom win over the visiting Manhattanville College Valiants. Brad Clemens was 3-for-4 with a pair of RBI's to pace the Eastern offense.

How It Happened:
The Valiants (15-13, 9-6 MAC Freedom) came into today's with 243 runs in 27 games and a .343 team batting average. With Eastern's three weekend starters already throwing in the Delaware Valley. The responsibility for containing the Manhattanville offense fell on Matt Poma. The first-year right-hander threw six-plus innings to pick up his first collegiate win. He allowed six hits and four earned runs in his longest outing of the year.

Poma all three batters in the top of the first and got a huge lift when the Eagles put together a five-run first. Thomas Aguila started the rally with a single and moved to second on an error that put Liam Clarke on first. When Britton Lawrence reached on another error, the Eagles had a rally in full gear. Brady DiGiacomo took a walk to drive in the first run and Jordan Laboy doubled home two more. Clemens singled to left center to plate the final two runs of the inning.

Back-to-back doubles from the Valiants to start the second put Poma in a little trouble. When the Valiants scored three times in the inning, the game looked like it might become a crazy high-scoring affair.

That, to the Eagles' advantage, never happened. Poma allowed only two base-runners over the next three innings. The Eagles, however, were unable to build on the lead. The valiants grabbed one back in the sixth, but the damage could have been worse. Matt McHale made a diving grab in right-center field to rob Peter Ianerelli of extra bases. 

The Eagles (11-19, 6-9 MAC Freedom) rallied with two in the bottom of the sixth. DiGiacomo took a ball off the hip to get to first and moved to second on a bunt from Laboy. Clemens singled to center to put runners on the corners for McHale. The first year outfielder drove in DiGiacomo with a single to left. Clemens eventually scored Eastern's seventh run on a throwing error.

A game that had been flying along ground to a halt in the top of the seventh. The first two hitters reached against Poma, and Andrew Behnam came on with one in and a runner on second. After an infield single and a fly out, the Valiants executed a double-steal with a very close play at third. Behnam struck out the first let-handed hitter he faced, but a pair of walks forced in a run and the Eagles made another call to the bullpen.

Steve Sattanino came on for his second appearance of the weekend. The sophomore right-hander got a ground ball to third to end the rally. After the Eagles went quietly in the seventh and the Valiants were unable to capitalize on a two-out single in the eighth, the Eagles had bases loaded with one out in the eighth. A double-play ended the opportunity and put the game in Sattanino's hands to close.

It would not be easy. The Valiants brought the meat of the order to the plate. Sattanino struck out the first hitter he faced but gave up a soft single to center with one out. The runner moved to second on a wild pitch and the Valiants had two of their top hitters slated to bat. He struck out Luke Scoggins on a great curve ball and then had Ianerelli left with a runner at second. The junior second basemen came into the game hitting .442. 

Rather than walking him or working around the top Valiant threat, Sattanino went to battle. After missing away, he threw a pair of breaking balls for strikes to jump ahead in the at bat. Ianerelli dug in and fouled off two pitches before taking the sixth pitch of the at bat just off the outside corner. He fouled off another pitch before Sattanino finally won the battle with a ground ball to second for his third save of the year.

The win over Manhattanville gives the Eagles their first series win of the year and a tiebreaker against a team in contention.

Coach Renauro Says:
"Matt Poma had a great start. He was hitting his spots early and keeping their hitters off-balance. He ran into a little trouble with a few errors, but he was able to minimize the damage and keep up up in the game."

"Our hitters did a lot better today than this weekend. We were swinging at the right pitches. Even though we didn't mark much in the middle of the game, we were hitting balls hard. It was a great close from Steve. We did consider walking Ianerelli. Being home i had faith that if we were to give up a base hit we'd score in the 9th. I'd rather not out the go ahead run on. Steve was upset with himself for missing a spot yesterday at Del Val. He wanted to pitch today to redeem himself. He is fearless. He did a great job bouncing back for a long save."

Up Next:
The Eagles play out of the league at Wesley on Tuesday. Eastern will host DeSales for a nine-inning MAC Freedom game on Thursday.