WINTER HAVEN, Fla. - Eastern Softball began its 2023 season with a pair of victories at DiamondPlex on Monday. The Eagles battled back from a two-run deficit with a seven-run fifth to defeat Chatham, 9-4, in game one, before a six-run fourth carried them to a 12-0, run-rule triumph over Neumann in game two. Eastern's offense dominated in the two wins, finishing with a combined 23 hits, five extra base knocks, and 20 runs batted in.
After Chatham struck first with a single run in the first inning, it did not take
Jania Long to hit her first home run of the season. The sophomore crushed her sixth career long ball over the center field fence, giving the Eagles a 2-1 lead.
The Cougars answered back with three runs in the top of the third inning, putting Eastern in a 4-2 hole. However, the Eagles' offense came alive in the fifth frame, scoring seven runs on five hits.
Tori Hook drew a bases loaded walk to trim the Chatham advantage to one, before a bases clearing double by Long to deep right field put the Eagles ahead 6-4.
Valentina Marino scored
Amanda Bruno with an infield single, and
Sydney Ostolaza capped off the rally with a pinch-hit, two-run double to make it a 9-4 Eastern advantage. The Eagles never trailed the rest of the way.
Long began her sophomore season with two hits in two at-bats to go along with five runs batted in to lead the Eastern offense. Seven other Eagles finished with at least one hit in the victory.
Eastern wasted no time against the Knights in game two, scoring three first inning runs to take a lead they would not relinquish. Hook singled up the middle to score Ostolaza,
Sami Britton doubled home Long, and
Victoria Perez singled down the right field line to score
Brianna Bowles. Eastern added a single run in the second on another Hook RBI single, before a Perez fielders choice RBI and a bases loaded walk put the Eagles ahead 5-0 heading into the fourth inning.
The Eagles' offense once again found it rhythm in the sixth inning, notching six runs on six hits and two Neumann errors. Bowles and
Hailey Krichten each hit RBI singles, before Ostolaza drove home two more runs with a single of her own to make it 10-0. Eastern added two more runs later in the frame to secure the run-rule victory.
Ostolaza put together a tremendous performance for the Eagles in her second collegiate game, leading the way with three hits, two runs scored, and three runs batted in. Hook finished 2-for-3 with a pair of RBI, while Britton finished 2-for-2 with a pair of runs scored.
Eastern will continue its Spring Break with two more morning games tomorrow. The Eagles will play Dubuque at 9:00 am followed by Alma at 11:30 am.
