CHESTER, Pa.– After taking a gut-punch in the first game and falling behind 6-2 early in the second, Eastern University Baseball came off the ropes with trio of big innings to save a split and force the 'if necessary' game in the opening round of the 2021 MAC Commonwealth Baseball Tournament. The Eagles dropped game one , 8-2, but pounded out 18 hits on the way to a 17-11 win in the nightcap.
The Eagles (9-15) came into today having won 7-of-11, and the constant has been if the offense is there, they have pitched well enough to win. The Eagles had a 2-1 win in the stretch, but they only scored once in their four losses in the stretch.
The Eagles led twice in game one.
Shane Albertson scored on a
Connor Schilling double in the first inning and
Brad Clemens came home on a wild pitch for a 2-1 lead in the fifth.
The host Pride tied the game with an RBI single off
Tyler Bennett in the sixth, they then broke the game open with five runs in the seventh off the Eastern bullpen.
With their backs against the wall, the Eagles needed to find a way to save the split. After Widener got a single run in the second, the Eagles scratched back with two in the third. Schilling plated the first run with an RBI single and then was part of a double-steal where Albertson stole home.
The 2-1 lead would not stand.
Mickey Foytik has been the ace for the Eagles all year, but in his fourth start against the Pride in their second time through the order. They put up five runs on four hits to grab a 6-2 lead.
The Eagles had an answer.
Liam Clarke coaxed a walk to start the fourth and advanced to second on a ground ball. Clemens singled to center to drive in Clarke.
Griffin Falco forced a pitching change with a single to left. After Jeffrey Williams walked, the Eagles got a big break on an error on a hard hit ball to third by Albertson. Clemens scored on the play and a potential double-play was averted.
Schilling then cleared the bases and put the Eagles up 7-6 with a triple to the fence in left-center.
Matt McHale then tripled to right-center for another run. McHale slid under a tag at home on a chopper by
Jake Jones for 9-6 lead.
Foytik gave up two hits in the fourth and Head Coach
Scott Renauro went to the bullpen.
John Beck came on to get two quick fly-ball outs. Beck went two and two third to pick up the win.
"On a day where our top guy did not have his best stuff," Head Coach
Scott Renauro said after the game. "We needed our bullpen guys to come in and get guys out. Beck came on and threw strikes. He did not have his curve ball at all today, but was aggressive in the zone and got outs. Connor got us going at the plate, but I felt like we had good approaches that paid off. We will need to start well tomorrow."
Jake Jones scalded an RBI double to the fence in center to start a three-run sixth. Clemens knocked in two more with a line drive over the second baseman's head. Clemens also knocked in two with a single to right to cap a five-run seventh.
David Hunsberger picked up two RBis with a double and Clarke had an RBI single in the inning.
NIck Kosenske pitched the final three innings to pick up the save in relief.
The two teams have now played eight games against each other this year. Tomorrow's elimination game will be the first time either team has played only one game in a day this year.
The Eagles will host the Pride tomorrow at 1:00 pm. Eastern will bat first in that game.
