READING, Pa. - After a change in day and venue, Eastern Baseball concluded its season series with Albright on Sunday at Kelchner Field, playing the Lions to a doubleheader split. The Eagles won game one, 5-1, behind another
John Beck gem and five early runs, before their late rally came up one run short in a 5-4 loss in game two.
Beck (2-2) put together a strong performance in his fifth start of the season, striking out seven in a complete-game victory. The Butler, N.J. native allowed only one earned run, which came in the seventh inning, and scattered six hits. His seven punchouts were the second-highest total in a single start in his Eastern career.
The Eastern offense gave Beck all the support he needed in the first two innings with three runs in the first and two more in the second.
David Hunsberger singled to start the game, and
Evan Barks reached first on a hit by pitch. After
Sean Cottrell walked to load the bases,
Brian Lang hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Hunsberger and give the Eagles a 1-0 lead. Schilling followed with a two-run single to right field to put the Eagles ahead 3-0 heading into the second frame.
The Eagles first three batters,
Jason Hall, along with Hunsberger and Barks, reached base safely to start the second inning. Hall scored on a RBI groundout from
Camden Angell, and Cottrell plated Hunsberger with an RBI single to push Eastern's advantage to 5-0.
Albright (3-13, 1-8) threatened in the top of the third, loading the bases with nobody out. However, the Eagles were able to escape the jam with a 5-2-3 double play, nabbing a pair of outs without giving up a run. Beck induced a flyout in Albright's next at-bat to keep the Eagles' five-run lead intact.
Eastern recorded another double play in the fourth frame to stifle another Albright rally, and Beck allowed just two baserunners in the fifth and sixth innings. Albright was able to break up the shutout with a run in the seventh, but Beck closed out the contest with a strikeout to secure Eastern's second win in a row.
The Eagles finished with eight hits, two of which came from Evans Barks, who also scored a run. Hunsberger recorded a hit and a pair of runs scored, while Schilling finished with a pair of RBIs.
Game two was scoreless through the first three innings before the Lions plated three runs in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from Deklyn Marks and a two-run home run from Eddie Meredith. Albright added to its lead in the top of the sixth on an RBI fielders choice from Tommy Lewman.
The Eagles' offense caught fire in the bottom of the frame, scoring four runs to tie the contest at 4-4. A two-run double from Cottrell scored Barks and
Matt McHale to cut the Lions' lead in half, and
Joe Paradise followed with an RBI double of his own to make it 4-3. With two outs,
Garrett Friend knotted it up with a pinch hit RBI single to center field.
The Lions, however, scored the game-winning run in the top of the seventh on an RBI fielders choice from Marks. The Eagles had runners on second and third with one out and a chance to walk it off, but could not bring them home.
Brock Langlotz finished 2-for-3 from the dish, while Cottrell finished with a pair of RBIs. Hunsberger, McHale, Paradise, and Friend all finished with one knock apiece.
Eastern (4-16, 2-7) returns to action on Tuesday in a single, nine-inning contest with MAC Commonwealth foe Widener in Chester. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 pm.
