OWINGS MILLS, Md. - In its final road doubleheader of the season on Saturday, Eastern Baseball (10-22, 3-7) suffered a pair of losses to MAC Commonwealth foe Stevenson. The Eagles gave up a late two-run advantage in a 3-2 defeat in game one, before the Mustangs (10-21-1, 5-3) grabbed a three-run lead early and held it in an 8-3 triumph in the second contest.
After five scoreless innings in the opener, Eastern struck first with a pair of runs in the sixth frame.
Garrett Friend continued his recent strong play with an RBI double, plating
Connor Schilling, to begin the scoring, before
Matt McHale singled home Friend to give the Eagles a 2-0 advantage.
Eastern's lead would not hold, however, as Stevenson scored three runs in the bottom of the eighth. All three runs came with two outs, with one coming on an Eastern fielding error.
Despite the loss, first-year pitcher
Tanner Creel recorded another strong start. The Troy, Tx. native pitched an efficient 7.2 frames and struck out a career-best seven strikeouts, allowing just four hits and one earned run.
Stevenson grabbed the early advantage in game two and never relinquished it. The Eagles were able to cut the lead to two on another Friend RBI base hit in the fourth inning, but a three-run sixth frame for the home team put the Mustangs in control the rest of the way.
In game one,
Sean Cottrell and
Mark Cruser each finished with a pair of hits, while Friend, McHale,
Jason Hall, and
Connor Schilling all added a hit apiece.
Draig Cooley went 2-for-3 with a run scored in game two, while Cottrell drove in his 36th RBI of the season.
David Hunsberger added a solo home run in the nightcap, his third of the season.
The Eagles will be back in action on Tuesday, April 19 as they travel to Annville to take on MAC Commonwealth rival Lebanon Valley. First pitch is set for 3:30 pm.
