KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. - Facing a seven run deficit in the bottom of the first, Eastern Baseball rallied all the way back to beat Rosemont 11-9 at Heuser Park on Tuesday evening. Tonight's contest marked the second time in the last two seasons that the Eagles have rallied from seven runs down to win a baseball game, the first since their epic seven-run, ninth inning rally against Hood back on April 2, 2022.
Evan Barks had a career-day at the plate with four hits in four plate appearances, including a triple, while
Joe Paradise continued his recent offensive tear with a hit and a pair of RBIs.
Griffin Falco hit his third career grand slam, while
Matt McHale finished with two runs scored and a pair of hits. After Rosemont's big first inning, the Eagles outscored the Ravens 11-2 the rest of the way.
After the Eagles failed to score in the first, the Ravens took advantage of three hits and four Eastern errors to build it's big advantage. However, the Eagles kept their composure and began to push back in the third frame.
Ben Chiara started the frame with a walk, before Barks reached on a hit by pitch and McHale walked, loading the bases for Falco. The Matawan, N.J. native made no mistake, cutting the Rosemont lead to three on his team-leading fourth home run of the season.
The Eagles started the fourth inning with back-to-back hit by pitches to put
Garrett Friend and
Brock Langlotz on first and second base.
Leyton Bamesberger came in clutch with a single to center field to score Friend and cut the deficit to 7-5. Two batters later, Barks hit an RBI infield single, before Paradise tied the contest on an RBI groundout.
While Eastern's offense found it's rhythm, the pitching rotation settled into a groove as well. Over 7.2 innings of work following the first frame, the trio of
Joziah Trevino,
Scott Lavin, and
Logan Culp allowed just one earned run and scattered six hits. Culp (1-0) earned the first win of his collegiate career, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings with two strikeouts in relief.
Rosemont took the lead back in the fourth on an Eastern error, but Paradise responded with an RBI single in the top of sixth to score
Ryan Turzani and tie the game at 8-8. In the seventh, McHale scored off a wild pitch to give the Eagles their first lead of the contest at 9-8.
Culp continued to hold down the fort, inducing two flyouts and four groundouts in the seventh and eighth innings. The Eagles added on to their lead in the ninth on RBI singles from McHale and
Brian Lang to make it 11-8. Rosemont made a late push in the ninth, but
Sean Cottrell shut the door to secure his first save of the season.
The Eagles will be back in action, weather permitting, on Thursday in against York at The Yard. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 pm.
