ST. DAVIDS, Pa. - Trailing 5-2 heading into the bottom of the sixth, Eastern Softball pulled off a resounding comeback with a six-run frame and punched its ticket to the postseason with an 8-5 win over Alvernia on Thursday night. The win was the Eagles' 21st of the season, their most victories since a 22-win campaign in 2012.
The Eagles finished with 11 hits, two each from
Mackenzie Laub,
Tori Hook, and
Kelci Cost.
Sami Britton had an excellent offensive day with a hit, a run scored, and three RBIs, while
Maeve Colligan drove in a pair of runs.
Jania Long and
Sydney Ostolaza also recorded an RBI.
Long (9-4) surpassed her career-high in wins with her ninth of the season in relief. In the final 3.1 frames, the sophomore from West Deptford, N.J. scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run with three strikeouts. It was her third straight win at the EU Softball Field dating back to her no-hitter against Widener.
Alvernia struck first in the bottom of the second on a two-out single up the middle from Paige Paciolla. Britton answered for the Eagles with a sacrifice fly in the third, but the Golden Wolves scored single runs in the fourth and fifth frames to increase their advantage to 3-1. Long cut the Alvernia lead to one run with an RBI double in the bottom of the fifth, but the Golden Wolves scored two runs in the top of the sixth on a passed ball and a sacrifice fly from Lexie Fitzgerald to take a 5-2 lead.
However, the Eastern offense struck back with six runs on four hits in the bottom of the sixth inning. After a
Alyssa Binczak walk and a Laub double, Britton drove home both with a double to left field to cut the Alvernia lead to 5-4. Long scored on passed ball to tie the contest at 5-5, before Ostolaza gave the Eagles the lead for good with an RBI single. Colligan put the icing on the cake with her first-career home run, a two-run shot to left center field, to put the Eagles ahead 8-5.
Long shut the door in the seventh. After giving up a lead off single, she induced three straight groundouts to clinch the Eagles' third straight playoff berth.
Eastern (21-10, 9-5) will wrap up its regular season against York on Saturday. First pitch is set for 1:00 pm.
