Eagles split away series with SLCC
By TERRY WILLIS
Sun Advocate sports reporter
Hoping for a sweep to overtake Salt Lake in the Scenic West Athletic Conference standings, the College of Eastern Utah Eagles were happy to leave with a split. On Friday they lost game one 5-2 but bounced back and took game two in 10 innings by the score of 11-9. Saturday SLCC again took game one for a close 6-7 win. Again CEU rebounded and finished off with an 11-2 victory to hold ground in SWAC action.
The kick-off game on Friday was mostly about the Bruins as they scored three in the first two innings to grab an early lead. The Eagles finally sent two across in the top of the fifth only to see SLCC add another one in the botton on the inning to move back ahead by two. Three errors for the Eagles didn't help their cause. Brad Brinkerhoff was given the loss.
Game two started off rocky for the Eagles as they found themselves in a hole by seven by the third. But in the fourth they began chipping away at the lead as they scored four. Adding two runs in the fifth inning got them within one.
SLCC added a run for themselves in the seventh and eighth. CEU put one across in the eighth and then kept themselves into position to win with two in the ninth. They sent the winning two across in the 10th inning to steal the game away from the Bruins.
Nathan Rink was on the mound for three and then Cameron Schmidt came on in relief and got the win. Brett Nibur went long for the Eagles and Josh Sturgis also hit two over the fence in the winning cause.
Saturday had Salt Lake again getting the upper hand early. By the fourth they were up 6-3 over the Eagles. But again CEU battled back and tied it up in the top of the fifth. But this time it was the Bruins who eeked out the win with a run in the seventh. Bradley Jackson came on in relief of Jesse Hartle and took the loss.
In game four of the series CEU drew first blood and left nothing in doubt with a seven run second. The Bruins put up a single run in an answer, but in reality was never a threat in the game. The Eagles tacked on two in the third and a pair in the fourth to sew up the win early.
Dusty Fachrell punched on over the fence in the win. In the series the Eagles pounded out 32 hits. With 11 conference wins so far, the Eagles are on track to double up their seven conference wins last season.
CEU will play their last home stand of the season this weekend taking on Southern Nevada for four games. Game time Friday begins at 1 p.m. and the Saturday doubleheader starts at noon.
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