COCHRANTON — Mother Nature held off just long enough for the Youngsville Eagles baseball team to finally open its season Wednesday at Cochranton.

While the game was ultimately called prior to the start of the sixth inning due to persistent freezing rain, the Eagles returned home victorious with a 4-2 road victory over the Cardinals.

The Cardinals struck first in the opening inning, scoring an unearned run off Youngsville starter Nathan Lucks. That 1-0 edge would hold until the fourth inning when the Eagles broke through with a pair of runs to take a 2-1 lead.

Lucks led off the fourth with a walk and stole second before Keegan Mesel singled him home with a hit through the left side of the infield to tie the game. Mesel stole second and advanced to third on a single by freshman David Manning and Ian Mancuso plated Mesel with a sacrifice fly to give Youngsville its first lead of the season.

The Cardinals rallied back to tie the game at 2-2 with a clutch two-out hit in the bottom of the fourth, but Youngsville didn’t let the game stay tied for long.

James Johnson smoked a one-out double and scored what would prove to be the game-winning run when a ball hit by Matt DeSimone was misplayed at shortstop. DeSimone stole second and third — his third and fourth steals of the game — before racing home on a passed ball to make it 4-2.

“James (Johnson) had a great game at shortstop and a nice double,” said Eagles coach Eddie Dorunda. “His first two at-bats were line drives right at the left fielder but his third got over the outfielder’s head for a double off the fence. Nathan (Lucks) pitched well and got himself out of a couple jams with big strikeouts.”

The Eagles return to the diamond Monday when they travel to Werner Park in Russell for a showdown with the Eisenhower Knights.

YOUNGSVILLE (4): James Johnson, ss, 3-1-1-0, Matt DeSimone, cf, 3-1-1-0, Nathan Lucks, p, 2-1-0-0, Keegan Mesel, c, 2-1-1-1, David Manning, 1b, 3-0-1-0, Talon Mesel, rf, 2-0-0-0, Ian Mancuso, 3b, 2-0-1-1, Wyatt Dalrymple, 2b, 2-0-0-0, Ethan Senz, lf, 2-0-0-0, Totals: 21-4-5-2

COCHRANTON (2): Long, p, 2-0-0-0, McDonough, 2b, 3-0-0-0, Conroll, lf, 2-1-0-0, Rynd, 1b, 3-0-1-1, Foulk, c, 3-0-2-0, Heald, rf, 2-0-0-0, Hoban, cf, 1-0-0-0, Burnette, dh, 1-1-0-0, Albert, ss, 2-0-0-0, Field, 3b, 2-0-1-1, Totals: 21-2-4-2

Youngsville 000 22 — 4 5 3

Cochranton 100 10 — 2 4 1

2B–James Johnson (Y). W–Nathan Lucks. L–Long.