MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - In a high-scoring affair on Wednesday afternoon, Eastern Baseball came out on top in a 13-9 win over John Jay College on its third day at Ripken Experience. The Eagles built a 9-1 lead in the first four innings and held off a furious Bloodhounds rally over the final five to secure their third victory of the season.

Both teams combined for a remarkable 30 hits, with Eastern recording 17. Seven of those knocks were for extra bases, and eight different Eagles finished with a least one hit. Sophomore Justin DiCesare led the way with four hits, including a double, in five at-bats, to go along with a run scored and one RBI. First-year outfielder Trent Macdougall and third basemen Robert Del Buono also recorded strong days at the plate as the duo combined for six hits, five runs scored, and four RBI. It was the first three-hit, two-RBI performances of their collegiate careers.

Second baseman Evan Barks continued his red-hot tear with three hits, two runs scored, and an RBI, while designated hitter Sean Cottrell collected his first home run of the season, a two-run shot to left field in the eighth inning. Catch Jason Hall finished 1-for-2 with a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI, while outfielder Brock Langlotz added a double.

The Bloodhounds (1-2) struck first on an RBI single from Santo Anzalone in the opening frame, but the Eagles took the lead for good in the bottom half of the inning. Macdougall and Del Buono led off with singles, and a Bark RBI groundout scored Macdougall to tie the game at 1-1. Two batters later, DiCesare hit an infield single to plate Del Buono and put the Eagles ahead 2-1.

Eastern scored two runs in the bottom of the second. After Langlotz's lead-off double, Hall's RBI triple and Macdougall's sacrifice fly to center field increased the lead to 4-1. After giving up a run in the first, junior Zackary Bollinger pitched a scoreless second, third, and fourth frames, collecting three strikeouts and allowing just four baserunners.

The Eagles pushed their advantage to 9-1 after a five-run fourth frame. Connor Schilling started the scoring on a wild pitch after reaching base on a walk. Macdougall followed with an RBI double, scoring Hall, before Del Buono added an RBI single to make it a 7-1 Eastern lead. Two batters later, David Hunsberger ripped a double to right field to score Barks and Del Buono, seemingly putting the game out of reach.

But John Jay came roaring back in the fifth frame. The Bloodhounds hit back-to-back home runs to start the inning, and a two-run bomb from Anzalone cut the advantage to 9-5. First-year pitcher Graham Adams, who came in in relief of Bollinger, was able to escape with a strikeout, along with a tremendous defensive play by Del Buono at third to record two quick outs.

Eastern scored single runs in the sixth and seventh frames on another wild pitch and a Del Buono RBI double. John Jay made another push in the eighth with three more runs, but Cottrell put the nail in the coffin with his two-run bomb in the bottom half of the frame.

Adams (1-0) recorded his first collegiate win in relief, allowing just four hits and one run with three strikeouts in 3.1 innings of work. Fellow first-year Owen DeLong collected his first collegiate save, navigating a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the ninth.

Eastern (3-2) concludes its Spring Break trip with one more contest against John Jay. First pitch is scheduled for 10:00 am.