ST. DAVIDS, Pa. - Coming off a tough loss in the opener against Hood on Wednesday, Eastern Softball salvaged the doubleheader with an 11-3, run-rule triumph in game two of its home finale. The Eagles (25-7, 10-2) struck for four runs in each of the first and fourth frames, and Jania Long continued her career-best season in the circle, collecting six strikeouts in her 12th win, and also helped out her own cause with a two-run triple.

In her final home start of her career, Long went the distance, giving up just five hits and allowing just three runs. Her 12th win already adds to her career-best in a single season, and her 2.25 ERA is the lowest of her Eastern tenure.

After Hood struck first, scoring on a wild pitch, the Eastern offense responded with four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Alyssa Binczak scored on a fielders choice, and a subsequent fielding error allowed Ainsley O'Donnell to reach third base. Long gave herself a little breathing room, crushing a triple to deep right field to score both O'Donnell and Mackenzie Laub. Tori Hook tacked on Eastern's fourth run with an RBI single.

The Blazers (20-16, 6-6) cut the lead to one on a two-run single from Kara Heidlauf in the top of the third, but Long did not give up the lead, stranding Hood with the bases loaded. The Eagles again responded with four runs in the bottom half of the frame. Maeve Colligan plated Eastern's first run of the frame with an RBI double, scoring Hook from first base. First-year shortstop Maura Yoos followed with a two-out RBI single, scoring Colligan, and Sydney Ostolaza also came around to score on a Hood fielding error. Binczak capped off Eastern's second four-run frame with an RBI single through the right side, putting the Eagles ahead 8-3.

The Eagles plated another run in the fourth on an RBI fielders choice from Hook, before ending the game in the fifth with two more runs. Ainsley O'Donnell put the Eagles up 10-3 with an RBI groundout, and Hood's third fielding error of the game allowed Yoos to score a few minutes later, giving the Eagles the eight-run win.

Long shut down the Hood offense in the final two frames, allowing just one baserunner, who reached on an Eastern fielding error. Binczak, Long, and Yoos each finished with a pair of hits and combined for four runs scored and four RBIs. Hook also collected a hit and a pair of RBIs, while O'Donnell, Colligan and Ostolaza each recorded a knock.

Eastern grabbed the early lead in the opener on an RBI double from O'Donnell, and held that 1-0 lead until the top of the fourth inning. From there, Hood took control, using a two-run home run from Heidlauf to take a lead it would not relinquish. The Blazers recorded 11 hits in the contest, while the Eagles were held to only four. With its doubleheader split, Eastern now currently sits as the second seed in the upcoming MAC Commonwealth Tournament.

Eastern will conclude its regular season in Owings Mills on Saturday as it travels down south to take on the Stevenson Mustangs. First pitch is scheduled for 1:00 pm.