ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– After playing their first 32 games away from home, Eastern University Softball returned home to open a new field and honor three seniors at a home doubleheader against MAC Freedom foe DeSales. The Eagles battled but saw a late lead slip away in the opener before running into a strong pitching performance in an 8-0 loss in the nightcap. The program honored seniors Sam Albertson,
Leah Lozzi, and
Taylor Crown between the games.
How It Happened:
Eastern University President Dr. Ron Matthews was on hand with Athletic Director
Eric McNelley to get the proceedings started. Matthews threw out the first pitch, which will always be remembered as a change-up for a strike to sophomore catcher
Sabrina Thomas.
The Bulldogs scored the first run in the new park on a two-out double from Reilly Kerr in the top of the first.
The Eagles struck back with three runs in the bottom of the second. The rally started with two out.
Sami Britton singled up the middle, and
Lexi Evelyn sliced a double into the right-field corner to put a pair of runners in scoring position for Lozzi. The senior left-fielder flipped a ball into the grass in short right to tie the game.
With runners ont he corners, the Eagles took a risk sending Lozzi to steal. When the throw went through, Evelyn broke for home. When the throw home missed its target, Lozzi scampered to third. Lozzi came home on an infield hit by Albertson.
DeSales scored in the third to trim the Eastern lead, but the Eagles bumped the lead back to a pair of runs on an RBI single from
Rebecca Howard in the bottom of the fifth.
THe Bulldogs (15-19, 8-4 MAC Freedom) scored four times on five hits in the top of the sixth to take a 6-4 lead, and they stretch the lead to three runs with a single tally in the top of the seventh.
The Eagles brought the tying run to the plate with two outs in the seventh, but Evelyn hit a short fly behind the first base bag for the final out.
After hitting her pretty well in the opening game, the Eagles could not figure out Bulldog starter Heather Hall in the nighcap. Hall took a no-hitter to the bottom of the fifth before Crown singled to lead off the inning. The Bulldogs put up three runs int he first and another three in the fourth with single tallies in the second and fifth for the 8-0 win.
Up Next:
The Eagles (6-28, 1-11 MAC Freedom) are scheduled to be off until next Saturday at King's where they will play their final MAC Freedom Doubleheader of the year.
