JC Softball Sweeps in Season Opener

CLERMONT, Fla.— Juniata softball opened the 2017 season with two victories in Clermont, Fla. The Eagles defeated Penn State Brandywine 4-1, then New England College 16-8 on Sunday, March 5.

Juniata 4, Brandywine 1

Four Eagles logged hits, while Jennifer Carthew and the Juniata defense maintained the Lions in JC softball's season-opening victory in Clermont, Fla.

After a three-up, three-down top of the second, the Eagles came out swinging against Penn State Brandywine in the home-half of the inning. Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, Pa./Annville-Cleona) drew a one-out walk and stole second, moving into scoring position for Alicia Regnault (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater Raritan). Regnault singled to knock in Lerchen from second for the first run of the game.

Carthew (New Paris, Pa./Chestnut-Ridge) followed with yet another one-two-three inning, forcing two groundouts and striking out one. However, in the bottom of the third, the Eagles also went down in order.

Carthew gave up two hits in the top of the fourth, but no harm was done to the Eagles' lead. Instead, Juniata extended their 1-0 lead in the bottom of the inning. Abby Ebright (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) drew a leadoff walk and advanced to second with Carthew's sacrifice bunt. Lerchen reached first on an error by the centerfielder and then advanced to second, moving Ebright to third. Regnault then earned her second RBI of the day as she reached first on an error by the pitcher, scoring Ebright. Unable to add on any more runs, Juniata took a 2-0 lead into the fifth inning. 

Another scoreless inning for the Lions was followed by Juniata runs. In the bottom of the fifth, Allie Baney (State College, Pa./State College Area) touched first safely in part to an error by the first baseman. With one out, Baney stole second. Ebright flied out to mark the second out of the inning. However, Baney crossed home as Carthew took advantage of an error by the Lions' third baseman. Up 3-0, Lerchen knocked in Carthew from first with her RBI double. 

The Lions were able to string together a few hits in the top of the seventh to score their first and only run of the game. JC closed out the game as Carthew forced a fly out to Ebright at third base.

The Eagles rallied in the fifth and sixth inning to erase the Pilgrims' 8-2 lead and win the game 16-8.

Sarah Sotelo (Fairfax, Va./Paul VI Catholic) earned the start for the Eagles. The sophomore threw a scoreless bottom of the first to match the Juniata offense's top of the inning. 

In the second, New England College forced three groundouts to keep Juniata scoreless. In the bottom half of the inning, however, Sotelo and the Eagles ran into some trouble, as the Pilgrims scored four runs on three hits.

Down 4-0 in the top of the third, Alyssa Shedlock led off with a single to the pitcher and was quickly on third with a passed ball and a stolen base. Baney knocked Shedlock in from third with a RBI single to score JC's first run of the game. With Baney on second, after her stolen base, Ebright doubled to right center to score Baney. Unable to tack on anymore, the Eagles trailed 4-2 heading into the bottom half of the inning.

Sotelo returned to the rubber for the third, but, after loading the bases with only one out, she was relieved by Maddie Garrick (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg). The Eagles halted the Pilgrims' big inning with a strike out and a line out. On three hits, New England extended its lead to 8-2.

Both teams were held scoreless in the fourth inning. However, in the fifth, the Eagles' offense began to light up, scoring seven runs and taking a 9-8 lead. Kergian Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley), Baney, Carthew, Lerchen, Alyssa Fasolo (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) each recorded base hits in the inning to contribute to Juniata's game-changing inning. Jordan Wahrenberger (Shamong, N.J./Seneca) and Shedlock also forced NEC errors to knock in three runs. 

Lerchen relieved Garrick in the bottom of the fifth and retired three batters before any harm was done to Juniata's lead.

The Eagles' offense picked up right where they left off, scoring another seven runs in the top of the sixth to secure a 16-8 victory over the Pilgrims.

Lerchen earned the win with her two, scoreless innings in relief, allowing only one hit. Ammerman was key for the Eagles' comeback, as she went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and one RBI. Overall, JC tallied 16 hits with 14 RBI. Shedlock recorded five RBI in the game with two hits and two runs scored.