Rain Cuts Rally Short, Eagles Fall 11-5 to Scranton

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata College baseball team rallied late against Landmark Conference rival the University of Scranton Wednesday, but fell 11-5 to close the series this season. Juniata (8-19, 4-5 Landmark) scored all five runs in the final three innings.

Junior Derek Heath (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) and freshman Kyle Pannebaker (Thompsontown, Pa./East Juniata) each had multi-hit days, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate.  Heath also knocked in two of the Eagles runs.

The Royals (17-10, 6-3) jumped out to a 6-0 lead by the second inning.  They extended it to 8-0 before Juniata finally answered offensively.

With one out in the bottom of the seventh inning, Sforza reached on a throwing error by the shortstop and advanced to second when the next batter popped out.  Heath singled to left center and Sforza came around to score, ending the shutout.

Heath then stole second to move into scoring position but Royal starter Luke Sheehan got the next batter to ground out, ending the inning.  After Scranton put two more runs on the board in the top of the eighth, Juniata rallied with rain on the horizon in the bottom of the inning.

Senior Chase Dykstra (Somerset, Pa./Somerset Area) walked to lead off the inning.  Fellow senior Ben Mersky (Hershey, Pa./Hershey) hit a shot down the left field line that the third baseman misplayed off his glove, putting runners on first and second. 

With one out, junior Dan Gray (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) singled up the middle to load the bases.  Sophomore Cody Krepps (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood-Antis) then came in to pinch hit.  His single to center with an 0-1 count scored both Mersky and Dykstra, and Gray advanced to second.

Pannebaker then came to the plate with two outs and singled through the right side for his second hit of the afternoon, scoring Gray and Krepps.  Scranton pulled Sheehan to have James Sawyer close the game.  But the weather had other plans.

The storm came through over Langdon-Goodale field, forcing a 30-minute delay.  When the teams came back, freshman Jason Reif (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) fouled off two straight on a 1-1 count before Sawyer caught him looking on the outside corner to end the rally.

Scranton pulled another run across in the ninth to close scoring in the contest.  Sheehan earned the win.

Juniata hits the road again for a single game against Gettysburg on Monday, April 15.  They then host two home series, the first a doubleheader against Penn State Altoona on Wednesday April 17 and then a two-day series against Merchant Marine that goes Saturday, April 20 to Sunday, April 21.

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