Eagles Split on Road at Susquehanna, Improve to 4-4 in Landmark Play

SELINSGROVE, Pa. – For the fourth time this season, the Juniata College softball team split  Landmark Conference play. The Eagles came from behind to win game one (3-2) at Susquehanna University Saturday afternoon, but then fell 8-0 in the nightcap. Juniata (8-12) is now 4-4 in conference and tied for third in the league.  Susquehanna moved to 22-6 overall, 4-2 in the Landmark.

Junior Kelsea Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) continued her success on the diamond. The reigning Landmark pitcher of the week went 3-for-5 at the plate and earned the Eagles opening win after pitching a complete seven innings with three strikeouts.

Game One
Susquehanna scored first in the bottom of the third inning and held onto a 1-0 lead until the fifth.  Decker led off with a single to left field.  With one out, senior Paige Robertson (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) attempted to lay down the sac bunt to advance Decker and reached on a fielding error by the first baseman. 

Senior Steph Frith (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) loaded the bases on a single to left and freshman Brooke Walls (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) tied the game by singling and scoring Decker.  Junior Rachel Smith (Martinsburg, Pa./Home School) then drove in the eventual game winning runs when she hit a shot to left with two outs that scored Robertson and Frith.

The Crusaders tried to mount a rally in the bottom of the seventh inning and pulled a run across on a sac fly.  But Decker then got the next batter to ground out to end the game.

Game Two
The Crusaders found their bats in the second game and six runs in the second inning secured the win.  Juniata did not have an answer for Sarah Hoffman who pitched a five inning shutout, allowing just three hits.

Freshman Aly Smith (McVeytown, Pa./Mount Union) received the loss.

Juniata travels to Penn State Harrisburg on Monday, April 15 for a doubleheader that begins at 3 p.m.

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