YORK, Pa.– Heading into a weekend with six games, including two against the top team in the league and a pitching staff that has been limited by medical concerns, the Eastern University Baseball coaching would likely have taken two wins and avoiding the 8-9 play in game. After sweeping Widener in a road doubleheader on Thursday, the goals got a little more ambitious.The Eagles bounced back from a lopsided game one loss to slug their way to a 16-10 win over York on Friday at The Yard. The Eagles used the identical formula on Saturday at York. After dropping the seven-inning opener 11-0, the Eagles jumped out to a 12-1 lead and held on to win the nightcap, 12-7. Tyler Bennett went five and a third against the potent York line-up to pick up the win. 

In game two, Matt McHale finished 4-for-5 with a walk and was a double short of the cycle. The junior center fielder had three home runs this week and has seen his average jump to .381. Sophomore outfielder David Hunsberger knocked in five more runs with a double and a home run in game two. He had two home runs and a double in the win over York on Saturday.

Looking at the series, Head Coach Scott Renauro thought the fourth game might be the game to win against York. The Spartans entered the weekend 19-3 in MAC Commonwealth play, but by pushing the experienced Bennett back, the hope was to match him against York's fourth starter and get enough run support to win. When Henry Hutchinson and Steve Sattanino delivered great performances in relief on Friday, the Eagles got the win in a nine-inning game a day early. 

Hunsberger knocked in two with a double in the first, and McHale knocked in three with a triple in the third. He scored on Hunsberger's third home run of the weekend. Jake Jones doubled and came around to score on a wild pitch and the Eagles were into the York bullpen early. Bennett stranded two York base-runners in the third to bring the Eagles back up with a 7-0 lead. 

Shane Albertson walked to lead off the fourth. The senior infielder went hitless but took four walks and scored three runs while making plays at second. McHale homered to left to bring him in for a 9-0 lead. He scored after a single to from Jones.

York finally got to Bennett with a lead-off home run in the fourth, but the senior lefty battled back to retire the next three hitters. 

The Eagles plated single runs in the fifth and the sixth before York scored three with another home run in the bottom of the sixth. Bennett left the game with runners on the corners and one out. Michael Gray came on for second appearance of the year. On his second pitch, he got a ground ball to second base. Albertson tagged the runner and threw to first to retire the side. YOrk got two more with another home run in the bottom of the seventh, but Gray retired the side with a pop-up to the middle of the infield. 

The hosts loaded the bases with one out i the eighth, so Head Coach Scott Renauro again went to his bullpen. Nick Kosenske got a ground ball to short for a 6-4-3 doubleplay to escape the jam without allowing a run. The Eagles had a chance to tack on a run in the ninth, but Albertson was called out trying to score on a short fly ball to right field. 

Though the Spartans hit their fourth home run of the game in the ninth, Kosenske got the final batter looking to end the game. 

"Tyler Bennett had a great start, Renauro said. "With a good hitting team like they are, getting the start we did from him was huge. Our hitters continued to hit in game two. McHale continues to be a threat every time up and Hunsberger is seeing the ball better now than he has seen it the past two years. We executed and hit well with runners in scoring position. It got closer than we wanted at the end but Kosenske's splitter and curve were working to close it out."

York led 4-0 after three innings in the opener and tacked a single run on in the fifth. With the Eastern offense only mustering two hits, doubles from Albertson and Brad Clemens, in the game, the five run lead was enough, but York tacked on six in the sixth to seal the win. 

The Eagles are tied with Messiah on winning percentage. Messiah is 10-13-1 in 24 games and Eastern is 7-9 in 16 games. York is the only opponent both teams have played the same number of games against, and therefore, according to 2021 tie-breaking protocols, Eastern's 2-2 record against York lifts the Eagles above the Falcons who were swept by York. Eastern will play a best of three series against Alvernia to start the post-season.