(Posted April 27, 2006)

Lebanon Valley 12, Juniata 0
Lebanon Valley 3, Juniata 0

HUNTINGDON, Pa. ? The Juniata College softball team found itself on the short end of a pitcher?s duel in the second game of its conference doubleheader against Lebanon Valley College, which came after the Eagles were on the wrong end of a Flying Dutchmen offensive onslaught in game one as the visitors swept the Commonwealth doubleheader Thursday. Juniata fell by a 12-0 score in game one, and then suffered a 3-0 set-back in game two. Juniata is now 9-27 on the season and 2-10 in conference action, while the Flying Dutchmen moved to 22-10 overall and 8-4 in conference play.

After giving up 12 runs on 11 hits in game one, the Eagles got a stellar pitching performance from senior Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union) in game two, but were unable to break through offensively.

Hobbs held the visitors hitless through the first four innings, and then pitched out of a bases-loaded two-out jam in the fifth to keep the game knotted at zero.

While Hobbs kept the Flying Dutchmen bats quiet, Alisa Albers kept Juniata off the scoreboard. The Eagles managed four hits in the game, but could not string together multiple hits in an inning. A lead-off double from Abby Sener (Donegal/Marietta) in the second inning gave Juniata its best threat, but Albers made it out of the inning with a strike out and a ground out.

Lebanon Valley finally broke the scoreless tie in the sixth as four hits and a Juniata error led to all three runs. Crystal Nolen knocked in a pair of runs with an RBI single to center field, and then would come home on an RBI base hit from Amy Weist. Lebanon Valley?s potential fourth run was cut down at the plate on a throw from Juniata?s Julie Hatfield (Southern Cayuga/Scipio Center, N.Y.) that ended the inning.

The Eagles were unable to cut into the lead, despite a one-out single from Hobbs in the bottom of the sixth, and then a two-out triple from Marcie White (Central Dauphin/Dauphin) in the seventh inning.

Hobbs went all seven innings for Juniata, allowing three runs on six hits, while striking out four. Albers claimed her seventh win of the year by allowing four hits over seven innings with two strikeouts.

White had two hits for Juniata in the game, while Weist posted two hits for the visitors.

Lebanon Valley?s offense got started early and never slowed down in game one. The Flying Dutchmen put three runs on the board in the first inning when Jenn Parker launched a three-run home run to left. The visitors would go on to add three runs in the second, two in the fourth and four in the fifth to earn the win.

While the Flying Dutchmen offense was pounding out 11 hits, Jenn Roberts kept Juniata?s offense in check as she allowed just one hit over five innings while striking out four.

Elsann Machotka (South Regional/Manahawkin, N.J.) was tagged with the loss for the Blue and Gold as she went all five innings, and allowed 10 earned runs.

Hobbs had the only hit in game one for Juniata, giving her a pair of hits in the contest. Amy Batz was 3-for-3 in the game with two runs scored and two RBI. Lisa DiCristofaro had a pair of hits, scored three times and drove in two runs. Nolen added two hits and four RBI for Lebanon Valley.

Juniata will play its final games of the 2006 campaign on Saturday when the Eagles play a doubleheader at Commonwealth foe Albright.

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