ANNVILLE, Pa.– Eastern University Softball returned to the field after a 366 day break. Softball was the last Eastern team to compete in 2020, and Coach Adams' charges have been looking forward to playing against another opponent for quite some time. The Eagles dropped their MAC Commonwealth opener at Lebanon Valley, but posted a 4-run ninth inning to grab a lead before darkness ended the nightcap.

Sami Britton delivered the critical blow with a booming three-run double to the fence in left-center to put the Eaglles up. She later scored on another double from Grace Gonzalez. 

Both teams scored twice in the opening inning of game two. Susana Perez stole home on a double-steal to score Eastern's first run, and Emily Loomis came home on an error for a 2-0 lead. The host Dutchmen (1-0) scored three in the bottom of the fifth and seemed to grab control of the game, but the Eagles scratched out a pair in the top of the sixth to pull within one. Victoria Perez drove in Britoon with an infield single. Later in the inning, Gonzalez grabbed home while Victoria Perez was caught in a run-down between first and second. 

Lexi Evelyn worked around a leadoff triple in the bottom of the sixth, and the Eagles picked up another run on the bases when Elena Iannuzzelli advanced to second on a wild pitch and grabbed two more bases on a throwing error. Two LVC runners reached against Evelyn in the seventh, but the senior right-hander struck out the final batter to strand runners at the corners. 

The teams started the ninth in the gloaming, Iannuzzelli reached on an error, but was called out trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt. Deanna Young restrated the rally with an infield hit up the third base line. Susana Perez yanked a ball through the hole on the left side. Emily Loomis singled on a line drive that landed right in front of the center fielder. Perez and Young were both perfect in their base running. Perez got to second in time to avoid being forced out, and Young held her position colse to bag at second to be certain not to get doubled off in the event of a diving catch.

Off the bat, Britton's double looked like it might clear the fence in left-center, and later in the year, that same ball might. Regardless, her shot settled at the base of the fence and all three runners reached home before the ball got back to the infield. Gonzalez yanked her double down the left field line. Gonzalez had four hits and six total bases in the doubleheader.

Tomorrow, the Dutchmen will come to the plate with three outs to try to score four or more runs to extend or win the game. The two teams will then play the regularly scheduled doubleheader.

In game one, Lebanon Valley scored five times  in the second inning and plated another two runs in the fourth before Gonzalez drove in Loomis to plate the Eagles only run of the game. The Dutchmen scored a single run with one out in the sixth to end that game.

"It was so exciting to be back in the field after a whole year," Coach Teri Adams said, "Our energy level was high throughout the day.  We started off slowly offensively, but we managed to find our bats in the second game.  We are looking forward to coming out aggressively tomorrow."

Tomorrow's games will be viewable on FB live. Go to the LVC Athletics Facebook page for the link.