Coming off a season in which the team won a program best 21 games, the Eagles are looking to go over the hump and earn a playoff birth in the MAC Freedom Conference.
The first step in earning that playoff spot, though, is to play against the likes of PSU-Berks, Wesley College and Catholic University in Myrtle Beach, S.C. during this year’s Spring Break trip.
The team returns two players, junior shortstop Scott Renauro and senior second basemen Dan Garcia, who both earned MAC Conference awards.
Head coach Matt Midkiff earned Coach of the Year and looks to continue last season’s success onto this year.
“This is the year that gives us a chance to turn the corner and show that we are a contender within our conference,” Midkiff said. “We want nothing less than the playoffs the year.”
Last season, Eastern came a game away from earning a playoff birth. This year, the team would call anything but a playoff birth a disappointment.
“We have to make all the routine plays and even the harder ones too,” Garcia said. “At this level you can’t give the other team more then 27 outs. If you do, that can be the difference in winning or losing a game and that game can cost you the playoffs.”
As stated before, Midkiff is stressing an appearance in the playoffs heavily this season. He notes that anything can happen in the playoffs if his team is able to make it.
“We want to get in there so that our program has an opportunity to play in the playoffs,” Midkiff said. “We think the next step for our program is a playoff team. The playoffs are a new season.”
The team opens up conference play against Wilkes on March 18.