(Posted April 24, 2004)

Juniata 5, Widener 4
Juniata 7, Widener 4

Chester, Pa. ? A two-run triple from David Saintz (Titusville/Titusville) highlighted a late-inning rally that propelled the Juniata College baseball team to a doubleheader sweep of conference foe Widener in Chester Saturday afternoon. The victories snapped a four-game conference losing streak for the Eagles, and improved the team?s record to 16-13 overall and 9-6 in the Commonwealth Conference. Widener fell to 12-21 on the year and 7-11 in conference play.

Trailing 4-2 heading into the top of the seventh of game one, Saintz delivered his second two-run triple of the game, to tie the score at four. The triple scored Will Russell (Tyrone/Tyrone) who doubled and Jesse Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) who was hit by a pitch. After the triple the Eagle sophomore would then come home on a wild pitch to give Juniata the 5-4 lead.

Eric Hatten (Dubois/Dubois) struck out two hitters to shut down Widener in the seventh to earn his second save of the season and preserve the win.

Juniata needed the comeback after Widener scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to change a 2-1 Juniata lead into a 4-2 advantage. Evan Brown drove in a pair of runs with a single in the sixth.

After Widener scored one run in the bottom of the first, Juniata took the lead with a pair of runs in the second. After Russell and Leonard reached on back-to-back singles, the pair came in again on a Saintz triple.

Jayme Fye (Philipsburg/Philipsburg) earned the victory for Juniata, improving to 4-3 on the year. He allowed three earned runs on 11 hits while striking out five.

Saintz was 2-for-4 with four RBI in the game, while Russell and Leonard each had a pair of hits and scored twice.

Brian Campbell was charged with the loss for Widener. Brown was 3-for-3 on the game with two RBI and a run scored. Three other players had a pair of hits for the home team.

In game two, Juniata got a solid pitching performance from Andrew Michanowicz (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona) who tossed six and a third innings to earn the victory.

After Widener pushed one run across in the first on an RBI single from Porreca, Juniata would answer with four runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to take control of the game. Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster) drove in a pair with an RBI single in the fifth. A sacrifice fly, then a single from Zach Sternberg (McCaskey/Lancaster) account for Juniata?s other two runs.

The offense continued in the sixth with Leonard leading off with a solo home run. Goedkoop also drilled a solo home run, then Darren Hake (Red Lion/Red Lion) doubled to drive in the final run.

Widener did respond, scoring single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings but couldn?t come all the way back. Hatten came on to retire the final two batters to earn his second save of the day.

Hake was 4-for-4 on the game with an RBI for Juniata. Goedkoop was 2-for-4 with three runs driven in and two runs scored. Leonard added a pair of hits with an RBI and two runs scored.

Walt Albright allowed seven runs on 12 hits in suffering the loss for the Pioneers. James Porreca and Pat Oruska each had two hits for Widener.

Juniata will host conference foe Albright in doubleheader action on Sunday.

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