(Posted April 27, 2009)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Sophomore second baseman Caley McCool (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) doubled home two runs in the first inning, part of a three-run opening frame that propelled Juniata College to a 4-1 victory over York College (Pa.) in softball action Monday afternoon on Weis Field.

Unfortunately, Juniata could only manage a split on the day, as York rallied for a 4-1 verdict in eight innings in game two.

However the game one victory improved Juniata's record to 22-10, setting a new program record for wins in a season. The Eagles eclipsed the previous high of 21 wins, set last season.

Junior leftfielder Sarah Eckard (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) got things going for Juniata in the first inning of game one, when she beat out a slow-rolling single to second base. Eckard was sacrificed to second by Stacy Nagy (Millerton, Pa./Troy), and could not advance on Tara Carl's pop-up to York pitcher Brittany Therres.

Liz Schmitt (Knoxville, Tenn./H. Frank Carey) hit an RBI doubled to right center and Melissa Moffat (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) singled to center field, setting the table for McCool who plated both runners.

Juniata tacked on a single run in the fifth. Carl reached on a one-out double to center field, and advanced to third on Schmitt's single through the left side. A York attempt to throw out Schmitt on a steal of second got away from the Spartan second baseman, and allowed Carl to trot home unopposed.

York (30-15) got its only run in the top of the fifth, when Heather Bormann's two-out single allowed Kelly Smith to cross the plate. Smith reached earlier in the frame on a fielder's choice grounder to short.

Juniata starter Alyssa Erb (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) scattered six hits and fanned four Spartans in the complete game win, improving her record to 13-6. Therres allowed all four Juniata runs, three of which were earned, on nine hits in the loss, falling to 13-9.

In game two, York plated three runs in the top of the eighth and Juniata was unable to respond, allowing the Spartans to escape with the win.

With pinch runner Tiffani Williams starting on second base, she was sacrificed to third on Michelle Barwick's bunt and scored on Smith's sac fly to left field. Bormann doubled to get aboard with two outs, and Caitlin Keppler singled and stole second to put runners on second and third. Kristen Gray's grounder to second resulted in a fielding error, allowing both Bormann and Keppler to score.

Juniata started with the bottom of the eighth with Jackie Morley (North Wales, Pa./Archbishop Wood) on second, and loaded the bases on a walk and a Nagy single around a pair of fielder's choice grounders. A third fielder's choice grounder to short resulted in Eckard being forced out at third, ending Juniata's rally attempt.

York starter Sam Koehl allowed just five hits with four strikeouts, improving to 15-6 overall. Eagle freshman Pam Heinrichs (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) allowed four runs on seven hits, but only one of the runs was earned.

Juniata will conclude its regular season on Wednesday, April 29, in Altoona, Pa., when the Eagles face Penn State-Altoona at 3:30 p.m.

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