Juniata Rallies to Open Day with 4-2 Win Over Moravian
The fourth seeded Juniata College softball team kept its Landmark Conference title hopes alive with a 4-2 win over second seeded Moravian College Saturday morning at Sassafras Field on the campus of Susquehanna University.
SELINGSGROVE, Pa. – The fourth seeded Juniata College softball team kept its Landmark Conference title hopes alive with a 4-2 win over second seeded Moravian College Saturday morning at Sassafras Field on the campus of Susquehanna University.
This is Juniata's first win against Moravian in 10 years. Their last win against the Greyhounds came in 2003 in Bethlehem, Pa., as the Eagles won a 1-0 thriller.
Rachel Smith (Martinsburg, Pa./Home School) started the Eagles off when she ripped the ball to left field for a single in the top of the first inning. However, Juniata (11-17) initially struggled to string hits together.
The Greyhounds jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the third inning. The Eagles offense struggled to respond until the top of the seventh inning.
Freshman Aly Smith (McVeytown, Pa./Mount Union) singled up the middle to lead off the inning and fellow freshman Brooke Walls (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) came in to pinch run.
Junior Meg Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) put down the sacrifice bunt, advancing Walls to second. Senior Jenn Ashcraft (Bellefonte, Pa./State College Area) singled through the left side, as Walls advanced to third. Freshman Holly Bettinger (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) then walked to load the bases.
With Juniata down to its last out, sophomore Katie Schroeder (Kempton, Pa./Kutztown) crushed a three run double to left center, clearing the bases and giving Juniata the 3-1 advantage. Steph Frith (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) singled through the right side, allowing Schroeder to cross the plate and increasing the lead to 4-1.
Moravian tried to rally in the bottom of the seventh. The Eagles recorded two outs, but could not seal the deal. Two Greyhounds reached on errors, and Moravian eventually scored one more run on a Dior George double down the left field line, bringing the score to 4-2.
But the Eagles starter Aly Smith got the next batter to ground out and end the game. Smith pitched a gem and picked up her fifth win on the year and her first win of the postseason. She allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits while striking out six batters.
The Eagles will face Susquehanna in an elimination game at 11 a.m. on Saturday. Juniata struggled to produce offense in their earlier meeting in the Landmark Conference Tournament. The Eagles dropped a six-inning decision to the Crusaders in the opening game of the Tourney, but split in their regular season meeting.