Eagles Split with Diplomats

WINTER HAVEN, Fla.-The Juniata baseball team got their first win of the season as they took down Franklin and Marshall, 2-1, in the opener before the Diplomats took the backend of the doubleheader, 9-2, Monday afternoon at Chain of Lakes Stadium.  

Adam Kipp (Mt. Wolf, Pa. / Northeastern) had a strong day on the mound for the Eagles as he only allowed three Diplomats to reach safely in the first five innings. A single to right in the second was followed by two flyouts to end the threat. In the third, a walk was followed by a double play when the runner tried to steal second but Colton Kubicki (York, Pa. / West York)'s throw beat him there and Larry Corle (Martinsburg, Pa. / Central High School) applied the tag. After allowing a single to right with one out, Kipp responded with back to back swinging strikeouts to end the top half of the fifth. 

In the bottom half of the inning, Kubicki reached safely on an infield single, William Duffy (Bronx, N.Y. / Fordham Prep/Clark University) was hit by a pitch before a Corle foul out to first allowed Kubicki to get to third. Jake Swank (Portage, Pa. / Portage) lined a single to left to plate the first run of the game.  

In the top of the sixth, the Diplomats had runners at first and third with two outs but Kipp got the next batter to ground out to second to preserve the Eagle lead. In the bottom half of the inning Matt Innella (Commack, N.Y. / Commack) got on via an error by the second baseman. Sam Craig (Mullicahill, N.J. / Kingsway Regional) entered to pinch run and was sent to second after the Diplomat pitcher was called for a balk. Hunter Price (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area) pushed him to third before Kubicki singled to left to tack on an insurance run. 

This proved vital as in the top of the seventh the Diplomats scored on a fielder's choice as the  Eagle lead was sliced to one. Another fielder's choice and a fly out to right locked up the first win of the season for the Eagles.

Game two saw the Diplomats bring their offense to life early as they scored four runs in the first two innings. In the top of the fourth, Isaac Maclay (Belleville, Pa. / Mifflin County High School) smacked a double to left to score price to get the Eagles on the board, but the Diplomats capitalized on some Eagle miscues to add two more runs in the bottom half of the inning another three in the fifth. 

In the top of the seventh, Coy Focht (Warriors Mark, Pa. / Tyrone) started things with a walk and Ben Raab (Langhorne, Pa. / Neshaminy) followed with a single to center. Isaiah Kupchinsky (Summit Hill, Pa. / Tamaqua)'s single loaded the bases for Casey Fellinger (Camp Hill, Pa. / Camp Hill HS) to knocked in Focht for the final run of the day. 

The Eagles will face Becker tomorrow at 10:15.