Lining up against Diggers Rest Bulla Village at Diggers Rest Recreation Reserve on Saturday, the Eagles won the toss and elected to bat, a choice they made the most of to post an imposing total of 264 at stumps on day one.
Having previously posted a total of 6-226 in a one-day clash against Harkness in round two, spearheaded by a Benjamin Bryant century, the Eagles would have been confident of posting a big total, this time being afforded 80 overs to dig in.
With plenty of time, openers Matthew Collard and Seamus Feery were patient in their approach, slowly ticking the scoreboard over until disaster struck, with both Collard and Feery departing within three balls of each other for 17 and 10, respectively, to leave the visitors at 2-29 after just 15.2 overs.
The dual departure brought Bryant and Oscar Newell to the crease, with the pair slowly accumulating runs as they set about building a partnership.
For 18 overs they toiled, adding 36 runs to the total until Bryant departed, suddenly leaving the Eagles at 3-65 and their most in-form batsman back in the sheds.
Nathan Fowler strode out to the middle, however, and unfazed by the situation, he and English recruit Newell set about piling on the runs.
With some brutal hitting, Fowler lifted the run rate at one end, while Newell played the patient game to hold up the other, as they gradually wore down the Diggers Rest attack over by over, with both players raising the bat for maiden half-centuries for the club.
Slowly but surely the runs began to pile up, with Fowler hitting 12 balls to the rope and two more over it in a stunning middle order knock, as the pair continued to frustrate the home side for more than 30 overs.
Dragging their side beyond the 200-run mark, Fowler and Newell added 158 runs in a vital partnership to ensure a competitive total would be set, with Fowler eventually falling in the 64th over for a remarkable 91 from 90 deliveries, leaving Eastern Hill at 4-223 with 16 overs remaining.
Newell followed shortly after, his superb innings coming undone on 84 from 158 deliveries, as the home side began to gain some momentum with the ball.
Peter Speechley was the only Eagle outside the top five to pass double digits, making 17 before he too fell, with the tail unable to wag as Eastern Hill crumbled to lose the final six wickets of the innings for 41 runs.
However, setting Diggers Rest a total of 265 for victory has put Eastern Hill in the box seat, with the home side only surpassing that total once last season, while also failing to make it past 100 runs in either of its clashes against the Eagles.
