Baseball downed by No. 8 Heidelberg during Spring Break

PORT CHARLOTTE, Fla. – A six run fifth inning turned a four run deficit into a 14-2 ball game as the Juniata College baseball team lost to no. 8 Heidelberg University on day two of its spring break trip in Port Charlotte, Fla.

Freshman Evan Pappas (Potomac, Md./Thomas Sprigg Wootton) paced the Eagles with two hits in four at-bats. Senior Ian Thorne (Germantown, Md./Seneca Valley) and senior Greg Hoffman (Phoenix, Md./Dulaney) tallied one RBI each. 

 Junior Marty Hauck (Bethesda, Md./Walt Whitman) got the nod on the mound for Juniata (1-2) pitching into the fifth inning. Freshman Josh Green (Hagerstown, Md./Clear Springs) pitched the fifth and sixth innings in relief for the Eagles. Finishing the game was junior Nate Burkey (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) who pitched the final two innings of scoreless baseball.

The Princes got the score started in the bottom of the first with a two out single up the middle by Willie Brechun. They extended the lead in their half of the second inning, plating two more. The inning started with a single up the middle by Steve Decker. He came around to score on a deep double to left center by Alex Monroe. Three batters later, Monroe crossed the plate easily as Ricardo Lizcano drilled one to the right center gap as he raced around to third for a triple. 

The Eagles cut into the lead with a run in the third. Thomas Eck (Columbia, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) led off the inning with a double down the left field line. Freshman Chase Dykstra (Somerset, Pa./Somerset Area) followed that up with a walk. After the runners were advanced by a sacrifice bunt, Thorne grounded out to second, plating Eck. 

But it was the five run inning by Heidelberg (4-0), closing the scoring book and locking the game at 14-2.

The Eagles continue their spring break trip, Monday night, against the College of Mount Saint Joseph. First pitch is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

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