(Posted April 26, 2006)

Juniata 13, Penn State-Altoona 6

HUNTINGDON, Pa. ? The Juniata College baseball team built an early lead and then got a late rally to hold-off visiting Penn State-Altoona and claim a 13-6 victory in non-conference action in Huntingdon Wednesday afternoon. The victory brought Juniata?s record to 25-9-1 on the season, with those 25 wins tying the program record for wins in a season, which was set in 2005. Penn State-Altoona fell to 18-17 with the loss.

After holding a comfortable lead most of the game, Juniata was forced to kick its offense in gear after a four-run eighth inning from the Lions made the score 7-6 in favor of the Eagles. Matt Robuck, RJ Barnard and Andy Bagley all brought in runs with RBI singles in the inning with another run coming home on a sacrifice fly.

Juniata responded by plating six runs in the bottom of the inning to put the game away. The Eagles got RBI singles from Steven Wilk (Blairsville/Hollidaysburg) while Zach Sternberg (McCaskey/Lancaster) added a sacrifice fly, as the Eagles also benefited from two errors and a wild pitch that helped produce runs in the inning.

Jeff Hayes (Indian Valley/Lewistown), who came on to get the final out of the eighth inning, pitched the ninth to secure his third save of the year.

Juniata starter Paul Dunklebarger (State College/State College) improved to 3-0 on the season as he pitched six strong innings, allowing one run on four hits while striking out five.

The Eagles gave their sophomore hurler a comfortable margin to work with as they pushed across four runs in the bottom of the first. After the first two batters reached on a single and a walk, Dan Kauffman (Penn Manor/Conestoga) brought everyone home with a three-run home run. Jesse Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) followed with an RBI single three batters later that knocked Lions starter Jacque Penicaud from the game.

Penicaud was charged with the loss. Bryan Plummer came on in relief for the Lions and slowed the Eagles offense, as he allowed six runs on nine hits over 6 2-3 innings.

Juniata added two more runs to its lead in the fourth inning, as Wilk plated Leonard with a triple, and then scored on a sacrifice fly.

Penn State-Altoona took its first chip at the lead with a single run off Dunklebarger in the sixth inning. Bagley scored on a wild pitch, but the Eagles got out of the jam without further damage as the sophomore hurler induced a double-play groundout. Juniata got the run back in the bottom of the inning with an RBI double from Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster).

An RBI single from Bagley pushed across one run in the seventh for Penn State-Altoona off Juniata reliever Eric Bridenbaugh (Central/Martinsburg), before the visitors made their big move in the eighth.

Wilk paced Juniata?s offense as he went 3-for-4 with two RBI and three runs scored. Beaver was 3-for-5 with a pair of runs for the Eagles, while Leonard had three hits, an RBI and a run.

Bagley had three hits, two RBI and a run scored for the visitors on the game. Tyler Weyant also knocked out three hits and scored once.

Juniata will be back in action on Friday with a single nine-inning game at conference foe Albright.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.