Eagles Softball Walk Off to Victory

CLERMONT, FL- With a runner on third and one out in the bottom of the eight, freshman Natalya Sizdahkhani (Gaithersburg, MD/Quince Orchard) laced a single down the right side to bring in the winning run as the Juniata softball team walked off with a 4-3 win over Finlandia on Monday. It was Sizdahkhani's first hit of her collegiate career.

Fellow freshman Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, PA/Annville-Cleona) got the win as she went all eight innings and gave up six hits, three runs (one earned), walked two, and struck out five. Lions hurler Miranda Brewer pitched 7 1/3 innings and surrendered seven hits, four runs (two earned) six walks and struck out five.

Finlandia got on the board in the first inning as Brewer's single brought in Amanda Youker. Katie Schroeder (Kempton, PA/Kutztown) delivered a two out RBI single to score Allie Baney (State College, PA/State College) and tie the game at 1-1 in the third inning.

The Lions plated two runs in the fourth inning on Miranda Ferrell's two RBI double. In the Juniata portion of the fifth inning, runners were at the corners. Schroeder stole second which allowed Brooke Ridenour (Thurmont, MD/Catoctin) to score from third. Later, Kergian Ammerman (Alexandria, PA/Juniata Valley) delivered a single that allowed Schroeder to score and tie the game at 3-3.

Juniata had runners on second and third with two outs in the sixth inning, but Paige Dennison (East Berlin, PA/Bermudian Springs) flied out to left to end the inning. Finlandia loaded the bases in the eighth, but a fielder's choice got the runner out at third and the game headed to the bottom of the eighth.

Lerchen was placed at second and was lifted for Brooke Walls (Mifflinburg, PA/Mifflinburg). Holly Bettinger (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) grounded out which moved Walls to third and she eventually scored on Sizdahkhani's single.

Bettinger was 2-for-3 at the plate. Ammerman and Ridenour were both 1-for-4. Schroeder finished 1-for-3 with a run scored, a RBI, and two stolen bases.