It may have been early evening but the temperature was hovering in the 90s last Thursday as pitcher Jacob Eisenberg toed the rubber for the Princeton Post 218 American Legion baseball team as it hosted Hightstown Post 148.

The gritty lefthander, however, was undeterred by the oven-like feeling at Smoyer Park.

“It is pretty hot but you have to pitch to the conditions and both teams have to play in it,” said Eisenberg.

Although Eisenberg wasn’t at his sharpest, he didn’t wilt in the heat. “I had trouble finding the zone at the beginning,” said Eisenberg, who starred on the mound this spring in his senior season at Princeton Day School, earning All-Prep B honorable mention.

“I didn’t have my best stuff; sometimes you just have to battle through it. The defense played real well behind me.”

Working in and out of trouble, Eisenberg gave up four runs in four innings and left with an 8-4 lead. He also added a two-run single to help the cause.

“I didn’t get to hit this year at school; I have never hit in my life before,” said Eisenberg, who has been playing first base for Post 218 when he isn’t pitching.

“That was nice. I am just trying to help the team win. If they want me to go out and pitch, I go out and pitch. I love to play, whatever they need me to do.”

Things didn’t go so nicely for Post 218 in the top of the fifth as Hightstown rallied for four runs to knot the game at 8-8.

Showing character, Princeton rallied for two runs in the bottom of the fifth, sparked by a triple from Marcus Henderson and an RBI single by Josh Harris. Post 218 gave up a run in the top of the sixth but hung in for a 10-9 win.

Eisenberg saw the win as a step forward for a Post 218 team that started the summer going 0-6.

“We have a lot of young guys; we have a lot of versatility,” said Eisenberg, who picked up the win on the mound last Monday as Princeton edged Broad Street Post 313 5-4 to earn its fourth victory in its last five games.

“We have to play smart baseball if we want to win. We are not going to hit three home runs a game. If we do everything right, we have a good team.”

Post 218 manager Tommy Parker liked the way his players righted themselves against Hightstown.

“They have learned to come back under adversity,” asserted Parker. “They didn’t get their heads down; they played solid. They came up in the bottom of the fifth and turned it around.”

Princeton is learning that it can depend on Eisenberg to carry the load on the mound.

“He is giving us real solid innings and the defense is coming together and playing well behind him,” said Parker. “He has been a bit of a workhorse.”

The squad has been getting some good work from such young players as Zach Tesone and Jon Hayden.

“Tesone has actually been one of our better hitters and stellar pitchers,” said Parker, noting that Matt Pilkewicz and Jay Barry did yeomen’s work at catcher against Hightstown filling in for Jess Russo and Colin Frawley.

“The other night he got a save that was a well pitched inning. He stayed focused; he stayed tight. Jon Hayden is a ballplayer; he also has real potential.”

Parker is relying on veterans Henderson and shortstop Beau Horan to help the younger guys reach their potential.

“I told Marcus and Beau at the beginning of the season that you guys have to lead by example, you have the most experience,” said Parker.

“Beau has done a stellar job for us at shortstop and Marcus is playing well in centerfield so we are strong up the middle. If they kick one, they don’t get down or hold on to it; where to the young guys, it is the end of the world. These guys pick them up so it has been a good thing.”

With Post 218 having picked up some wins over the last week, Parker is hoping the team can do some damage in July.

“If you get everybody here at the same time, these guys can do a tremendous job,” said Parker, whose team is slated to host West Windsor-Plainsboro on June 28, Hopewell Post 339 on June 29, and Allentown on July 1.

“That is what I told these guys; everybody is going to get an opportunity to play. These guys are doing a great job. They work very well together; they have a very good chemistry.”

Eisenberg, for his part, believes that Post 218 could do some very good things over the rest of the season.

“We have been hitting the ball a lot better in the last three games consistently up and down the order,” said Eisenberg.

“We don’t have a sure out in the order. We are definitely starting to roll; hopefully we can continue going forward.”