ST. DAVIDS, Pa. - On the final day of the regular season on Tuesday afternoon, Eastern Softball dropped a pair of contests to York. The Spartans used a three-run third frame and an 11-strikeout performance from Amanda Criss to win game one, 4-2. In game two, despite a brilliant outing from
Victoria Perez, the Eagles fell 4-0 in extra innings. Eastern had a prime opportunity with runners at second and third with nobody out in the bottom of the seventh, but could not push the winning run across.
York (18-18, 11-5) struck first on an RBI single from Kaela Fritz in the first inning, before increasing their lead to 4-0 on an Emma Keller home run and a two-run single from Bri McKeown in the third. In the circle, Criss kept the Eastern offense at bay, allowing just one hit and two baserunners in the first four frames.
Eastern cut into the York lead in the fifth with a pair of runs.
Sami Britton started the frame with a double to center field, and
Kelci Cost singled through the left side to put runners on the corners with one out.
Susana Perez scored pinch runner
Kellie O'Brien on an RBI fielders choice, and Perez later scored on a stolen base by
Elena Iannuzzelli.
The Eagles had a chance to tie the contest in the sixth, but despite a
Mackenzie Laub double and
Tori Hook reaching on an error, they could not cut any more into the York advantage. Cost doubled in the bottom of the seventh, but Eastern would not get any closer. Laub and Close each finished with two hits in game one.
Game two was the definition of a pitchers duel between
Victoria Perez and York starter Natalie Rietema. In the final regular season start of her career, Perez allowed just two hits and five total baserunners with four strikeouts in seven innings of work. However, Rietama (9-9) matched her pitch for pitch, giving up just two hits with four strikeouts in a complete game effort.
Eastern loaded the bases in the first inning on a fielding error, a Hook single, and a walk to
Jania Long with one out. However, the Eagles left the bases loaded, and did not record another hit until the seventh frame. Though they did put runners on via walks and errors throughout the contest, the Eagles could not break the scoreless tie.
Eastern's best chance came in the seventh frame. After a single from
Susana Perez, a throwing error on a bunt allowed Iannuzzelli and
Alyssa Binczak to reach second and third with nobody out. However, the Eastern offense stalled. The Spartans recorded a force out at home, a poppet, and a strikeout to end the Eagles' threat.
With all the momentum on their side, the Spartans scored four runs in the eighth on a Keller double, a Morgan Sauers single, and another two-run single from McKeown to secure the doubleheader. Hook and
Susana Perez recorded the lone two hits for the Eagles.
As part of Senior Day festivities before the games, Britton and
Victoria Perez were recognized for their contributions to Eastern Softball. Both played a major factor in Eastern's success, helping the program win 39 games over the course of the last two years.
Eastern will enter this weekend's MAC Commonwealth Tournament as the No. 5 seed. The Eagles will begin tournament play on Thursday with a matchup against No. 4 Stevenson beginning at 10:00 am.
