(Posted March 25, 2008)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- The Juniata College softball team pounded out 17 hits in the second game of its double-header sweep over Penn State Altoona on Tuesday afternoon in Huntingdon, Pa. The Eagles won game one, 9-0, and finished the sweep with an 11-4 victory in game two. In the second game, Juniata got on the scoreboard in the first inning when Sarah Eckard (Hollidaysburg, Pa. / Hollidaysburg) reached on an error, later scoring off a double to right center by Stacy Nagy (Millerton, Pa. / Troy). Juniata continued its hitting display into the second with a single to third base by Liz Schmitt (Knoxville, Tenn. / H. Frank Carey, N.Y.), who then advanced on a sacrifice bunt by Jackie Morley (North Wales, Pa. / Archbishop Wood). Nicole Fronszowski (Wilmington, Del. / Mount Pleasant) singled to center field, advancing Schmitt to third. Eckard's second at bat found a two RBI single to center field, scoring Schmitt and Froncszowski, while Tara Carl (Duke Center, Pa. / Otto-Eldred) also singled to center field, scoring Eckard for the fourth run of the game. Penn State began to fight back in the third when Aisha Kassam singled to center field and Nicolette Stimely homered over the left center fence, making the score 4-2. The Eagles continued their hitting streak with a Rachel Nagy (Nazareth, Pa. / Nazareth) triple down the right field line to start off the bottom of the third. Schmitt responded with an RBI double, then scored off a Fronczkowski single to left field. The Lions found the bats again in the fifth with a single by Kara Myers to right field. Megan Turiano doubled, scoring Myers, and Melissa Claver singled, bringing in Turiano to narrow the Eagle lead to 6-4. The score remained 6-4 until the Eagles scored five runs off five hits in the sixth, beginning with a double from Caley McCool (Spring Mills, Pa. / Penns Valley) and a single by Carl. Stacy Nagy singled, scoring McCool, followed by an error in center field putting Rachel Nagy on first. Schmitt and Morley each had an RBI single to complete the Eagle scoring with 11 runs. The Lions were unable to rally in the seventh, having only one hit from Claver to left field. Pam Mansell (Centre Hall, Pa. / Penns Valley) was tabbed with the win, with two strikeouts and two walks. In the first game, the Eagles bats were hot, scoring eight runs off seven hits. Eckard started the game with a single to left field, later advancing to second on a balk. Carl walked, while both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Stacy Nagy scored Eckard off a sacrifice bunt, followed by a Rachel Nagy reaching on four balls. Schmitt singled to left field, scoring Carl, and Morley sent a two RBI double to left center, bringing in Schmitt and Rachel Nagy. Amanda Albanese (Hampton, N.J. / North Hunterdon) and Denalyn Spratt (Haddon Heights, N.J. / Haddon Heights) had an RBI double and RBI single, respectively. Eckard appeared at the plate for the second time in the first, singling to shortstop and scoring off a double to center field by McCool. Juniata added a single run in the fourth when Schmitt singled to right center, scoring Stacy Nagy for the ninth run of the game. Alyssa Erb (Hollidaysburg, Pa. / Hollidaysburg) collected the win, improving her record to 5-4, with five strikeouts and allowing only one hit in 17 at bats. The Eagles improved their record to 9-7 overall and will return to action Thurs., March 27, when they travel to Gettysburg, Pa., for a double-header against the Bullets of Gettysburg College. The first game will begin at 3:00 p.m. -30-

Our readers respond...

Be the first to provide a response.

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