YORK, Pa. - On Saturday, Eastern Baseball began its season series with York with a pair of one-run contests at Jacquet Field. Two more solid outings from John Beck and Logan Culp, together with a Matt McHale two-run bomb in the sixth inning, proved to be the difference in a 4-3 victory in game one. York (13-12, 9-5) took the second contest, 3-2, after scoring two runs in the sixth frame and stifling a late Eastern rally. 

Beck (4-2) put together his third straight quality start, and fifth in the last six outings, to earn his team-leading fourth win of the season in the opener. It was Beck's third straight win on the bump after a 1-2 start. The junior scattered six hits and finished with four strikeouts in five innings of work. 

After earning his first collegiate win back on Tuesday against Rosemont, Culp recorded his first career save with another stout performance in relief. The sophomore allowed just one hit, an infield single, in the final two frames, and struck out a pair of batters to clinch the Eagles' fourth conference win. 

Evan Barks roped his third double of the season down the left field line with one out to put a runner in scoring position for Eastern (8-20, 4-11) in the bottom of the first. After Barks moved to third on a wild pitch, McHale capitalized with an RBI groundout to put the Eagles ahead 1-0 after the first inning of play. 

The Eagles added on to their lead in the fourth frame. McHale started the rally with a single up the middle, before stealing second and advancing to third on a long flyout. Moments later, Sean Cottrell hit a ball that was mishandled by the York third baseman, which allowed McHale to score for the 2-0 advantage.

On the mound, Beck was effective and efficient through the first four innings. The Butler, N.J. native struck out a pair of batters in the first frame, and escaped a bases-loaded jam in the third to keep Eastern's lead intact. In the fourth, he stranded another two York baserunners at second and third. 

However, in the fifth, the York offense came alive. The Spartans started the inning with back-to-back hits, before Michael Tinneny plated York's first run on an RBI groundout. With two outs, outfielder Brendan Martin tripled to right field to score two runs and put the Spartans ahead 3-2.

McHale, who has hit York well throughout his Eastern career, answered with another big moment in the top of the sixth. After a Barks single, McHale crushed a two-run home run, his second of the season, to left-center field for the tying and go-ahead run. In eight career games against the Spartans, including today's doubleheader, McHale is 14-for-24 (.583) with nine runs scored, one triple, five home runs, and 14 RBIs. Furthermore, with his two-run shot, McHale became Eastern's all-time leader in career home runs, surpassing both Head Coach Scott Renauro and former Eagle Timmy Gorton. 

Culp did the rest, shutting down the York lineup in the final two frames to secure the 4-3 triumph. McHale and Barks each finished with two hits and two runs scored in three at-bats in game one. 

After two scoreless innings to begin game two, York started the scoring on an Andrew Santarpia RBI infield single. Austin Utterbaugh entered the contest as a pinch hitter in the fifth and tied the game on an RBI single through the right side. 

However, after the Eagles failed to score a second run in the fifth on a failed steal of home, the Spartans used small ball to take the lead for good in the sixth. York took advantage of a sacrifice bunt and two Eastern fielding errors to grab a 3-1 advantage. The Eagles scored their second run on a bases-loaded walk in the seventh and still had bases loaded with one out, but the Spartans induced two pop-outs to secure the win in the nightcap. 

Barks continued to see and hit the ball well in game two, going 4-for-4 for the second time in Eastern's last four contests. In that same span, Bark has hit 12-of-15 (.800) with five runs scored and a pair of doubles. 

The Eagles will conclude their series with York on Monday in a single, nine-inning contest at The Yard. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 pm.