ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– With the suspension of the season on the horizon, Eastern University Softball dropped a pair of tight games to Eagle Road rival Cabrini University. The Eagles rallied for a 2-0 deficit to force extra innings but fell 3-2 in the opener. The Cavaliers (8-6) pulled away late to earn a 7-1 win in the nightcap.
How It Happened:
Lexi Evelyn battled in the circle to keep the Eagles in the game in the opener. The junior right-hander gave up back-to-back two-out hits in the second and did not give up another hit until the top of the sixth. The second of those two-out hits, however, was a double to the fence in left-center to drive in a run.
The Eagles put runners on in each of the next four innings, but were not able to string together hits. The Cavaliers doubled their lead after a good-fortune double to start the sixth.
Sami Britton made a diving attempt to catch a short pop-up. by the time the ball landed the Cavalier lead-off hitter was on second base. Evelyn retired the next two hitters, but Cabrini's Ashley Seamen knocked a seeing-eye single through the infield to double the Cavalier lead.
The Eagles grabbed a run back in the bottom of the sixth. After
Becky Howard led off with a bunt single, Kelsey Parker drove a triple to the fence in right-center.
Emily Loomis hit a hard one-out line drive to short right that the Cabrini outfielder dove to catch and Parker was stranded at third.
Evelyn retired the side in the seventh to give the Eagles a chance.
Grace Gonzalez doubled to the fence in center to lead off the inning and moved to third on a sacrifice bunt from
Jess Snader.
Sami Britton ripped a double to left-center to tie the game. Parker singled through the left side, but Britton had to hold with the play in front of her and was unable to score on the play and the Eagles ended the inning with two on base.
Both teams would start the eighth with a runner on second. The Cavaliers were able to plate a run on an error and a hit through the left side. Evelyn worked her way out of the inning and stranded three Cavaliers. The Eagles were unable to find the equalizer in the bottom of the inning.
Howard drove in a run with a single to right in the first inning of game two. Parker laced a line drive to second with two on in the inning, but Howard was doubled off and the rally ended.
The Eastern lead held until the Cavaliers took advantage of three Eastern errors in the fourth to score a pair. The Eagles put two on in the bottom of the fourth, but saw that rally fall short. Cabrini extended the lead with two in the fifth and three more in the seventh to pull away to the win.
Johnson did not give up an earned run but took the loss in four innings of work.
Coach Adams Says:
"We got a good performance in circle in the first game. Lexi gave us an opportunity to win. We managed to battle back to tie it but we were unable to get the big hit to come out on top. We still need to improve on making adjustments in our at bats."
Up Next:
The season is on hold for the Eagles and almost all college sports. As information comes out, it will be conveyed via this website and the Eastern University home page.
