Juniata falls to archrival Susquehanna, 3-0 and 12-0, in Landmark softball doubleheader

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Susquehanna University's Cara Swerdlow held Juniata College to just two hits while the host Crusaders managed three runs on six hits as Juniata dropped a 3-0 decision to Susquehanna, in game one of a Landmark Conference softball doubleheader Wednesday afternoon at Sassafras Field.

The Crusader offense geared up for 12 runs on 14 hits in game two, and posted a 12-0 win in a five-inning contest in game two of the twinbill. 

Susquehanna  (23-5, 6-0 Landmark) posted all the runs it would need for the game one victory in the first inning, as the Crusaders scored two on RBI singles by Lauren Gilbert and Kim Rubino.  The Crusaders tacked on another run in the third, when Brennan Balfour reached on a leadoff double and crossed on Brittany Devlin's ground out to short.

Juniata's (3-27, 1-9 Landmark) best scoring opportunities came in the fourth and sixth innings, when the Eagles got runners as far around as third base with two outs. Both times the Eagles came up empty at the plate, allowing the Crusaders to get out of the jam.  Amanda Gerlach (Mesa, Ariz./Marcos de Niza) and Allison Gerlach (Mesa, Ariz./Marcos de Niza) accounted for the Juniata singles. 

Kelsea Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area) held Susquehanna to just six hits with six strikeouts and two walks in a fine pitching effort, falling to 1-13 on the season with the loss.  Swerdlow improved to 10-1 with the win, as she fanned seven Eagle batters while walking two.

In game two, a nine-run uprising in the bottom of the fourth blew a 3-0 game wide open in Susquehanna's favor. Crusader shortstop Larissa Luu plated two runs early in the frame with a single to left-center, while Kathryn Gilbert homered to straightaway center later in the inning to score three more runs. 

Caley McCool's (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) single to left-center to open the game was Juniata's lone hit of the contest, as Susquehanna's Sarah Hoffman tossed a one-hitter while issuing no walks to the Eagles.

Juniata starter Mason Kersey (Charles Town, W.Va./St. John's Catholic) allowed 11 runs on 12 hits with two strikeouts over three-and-a-third innings pitched. Decker came on in relief in the fourth, yielding one run on two hits.

Juniata closes out its Landmark Conference slate on Saturday, April 23, as it travels to Kings Point, N.Y., to face the United States Merchant Marine Academy. First pitch of the doubleheader is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. 

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