ST. DAVIDS, Pa.– For Eastern University Baseball, the last two weeks has been quite a ride. After opening the 2021 season with just one win in the first 11 games, the Eagles have flipped the script and climbed into the fifth seed in the MAC Commonwealth Tournament. Over the past 14 days, the Eagles have won 7-of-11 games and have handed losses to top-seeded York, third-seeded Alvernia, fourth-seeded Widener, and sixth seeded Messiah.

After finishing in a three-way tie for fifth with Stevenson (7-9) and Messiah (10-13-1), the Eagles emerged as the fifth seed by virtue of a random draw. Because none of the three tied teams had played the same opponents the same number of times, head-to-head and common-opponent tiebreakers could not be used. With this scenario expected in at least one sport, the MAC office conducted random draws for all sports in both the Freedom and Commonwealth before the start of play. For Commonwealth Baseball, Eastern drew the number seven, which meant the only two teams the Eagles would beat by random draw were Messiah and Stevenson. That turned out to be useful.

Eastern's tournament run will start against Widener in Chester. The fourth-seeded Pride finished 12-12 in MAC Commonwealth play and won the first four games the two teams played against each other this year. Eastern opened the year with a pair of non-league losses in Chester, and the Pride swept the first two games of the league series at The Yard. Eastern led 5-0 in the third inning of the second game, but Widener scored the final six runs of the game to sweep the twin-bill.

After an extended break and a woeful doubleheader at Stevenson, the Eastern season changed for the better with a 13-5  nine-inning non-league win over Alvernia on April 10. It was the first time an Eastern baseball team had beaten Alvernia since March of 2000. The Eagles plated 10 runs in the seventh inning to break a 3-3 tie.

The next weekend, the Eagles split four games with Messiah. Even with that split, the Eagles were still only 3-7 in league play with a four-game weekend set against a York line-up that puts up Nintendo-style numbers and the threat of the 8-9 play-in game hanging over their heads. Head Coach Scott Renauro elected to try to make-up a lost doubleheader against Widener. When it rained on the original make-up date, the doubleheader got bumped to Thursday, giving the Eagles six games in three days. 

With several key contributors in the bullpen getting healthy, Renauro hoped to get at least one game at Widener and figure out a way to steal a game against York. Steve Sattanino picked up a win in relief as the Eagles scored four in the top of the eighth to win the opener. Extra-innings in the opener turned the second game into a seven-inning affair, and Mickey Foytik pitched around some early miscues to lead the Eagles toa  6-4 win and a doubleheader sweep. Matt McHale homered to tie the game. 

When things went sideways early in the opener against York on Friday, Renauro switched out nearly his whole line-up. The Eagles responded with a stunning 16-10 win in the nightcap. York scored nine runs in the first two innings, btu the Eagles got two homers and five RBI's from David Hunsberger and another homer from McHale and finally took the lead for good with four runs in the seventh. Sattanino pitched the final three innings to pick up the win after Henry Hutchinson threw four and two thirds to keep the Eagles in the game. 

Saturday's doubleheader at York looked similar. York drummed out 13 hits and 11 runs on the way to an 11-0 win, but Tyler Bennett held the York Bats in check and Hunsberger and McHale each hit homers on the way to a 12-7 win. Hunsberger had two 5-RBI games in two days, and McHale was a double short of the cycle.

The Eastern outfield had an incredible weekend. Connor Schilling was 7-for-18 with six walks and was hit by a pitch for and on-base-percentage of .560. Hunsberger went 6-for-17 with three doubles, three homers, and 14 RBIs. His 1.559 OPS for the five games he played is a truly remarkable stretch. McHale, however, might be hotter. He went 9-for-16 with three home runs, five walks, and hit by pitch, and a sacrifice bunt (?) in the five games he played in on the weekend. He tallied an OPS of 1.902.

The formula for the Eagles has been pretty straight-forward, Since the start of April, they have only lost once in games where they have scored more than one run. In their seven losses in that stretch, the Eagles have scored four total runs. 

Though the games are all nine-inning games the rest of the way, the shift from four-game series to three-game sets combined with the return of several key bullpen arms should be useful. Sattanino allowed one run in five innings after missing over two weeks with injury and Hutchinson and Michael Gray both pitched well in wins against York. Foytik, Bennett, and Sean Cottrell are the likely starters for the Widener series.

For all four series this weekend, the higher seed will host the first two games in a doubleheader and will bat second in the 'if necessary' game at the home field of the lower seed. 

Top seed York College is hosting Hood College, Second seed Lebanon Valley College hosts Stevenson, and Alvernia University hosts Messiah University. 

Per campus policies, both Widener and Eastern both restrict attendance at games. Both Eastern and Widener allows current home team students and staff and a limited number of pass-list guests for their own student-athletes. The doubleheader at Widener will start at noon. If necessary, Eastern will host Widener at 1:00 pm on Sunday.

Both Eastenr adn Widener will have live streams and live stats available.