MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - On the third day of its Spring Break trip on Wednesday, Eastern Baseball faced a tough test against an unbeaten and solid Methodist University team. Despite a valiant effort, a couple of innings got away from the Eagles in an eventual 15-5 defeat.
After a quiet first two-and-a-half innings, Eastern drew first blood in the bottom of the third frame. First-year infielder
Ben Chiara hit a one-out single to center field before advancing to second base on a balk.
Connor Schilling followed with a single of his own and quickly proceeded to steal second. The throw from Methodist's catcher was off the mark, and Chiara scored on the miscue to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead.
However, the Monarchs (8-0) answered with a five-run fourth frame to establish control of the contest. Methodist tied the contest with a bases loaded walk, and with two outs and two strikes, center fielder Jackson Deal hit a grand slam over the left-center field wall to put the Monarch ahead 5-1. Methodist added three runs in the sixth inning, all coming with two outs, to increase their advantage to 8-1.
The Eagles were able to get a run back in the bottom of the seventh on a
Sean Cottrell RBI double, his second run batted in of the season. However, the Monarchs answered two runs in the eighth and four more in the ninth to pull ahead further.
Eastern continued to battle in the bottom of the ninth, scoring three runs with two outs on
David Hunsberger's first home run of his senior season. A Methodist error allowed Schilling to reach first base, and after a single from
Matt McHale, Hunsberger crushed a three-run blast to right field. It is the first home run for the Eagles this season and Hunsberger's 10th career round tripper in an Eastern uniform.
McHale finished 2-for-5 with a run scored, while Chiara and
Camden Angell each finished with two hits in four at-bats. Schilling recorded his team-leading eighth hit of the season and scored a pair of runs.
Eastern will close out its Myrtle Beach trip with a pair of contests against Newport News Apprentice School tomorrow. First pitch for game one is set for 10:00 am.
