(Posted March 27, 2009)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College outfielder Liz Schmitt (Knoxville, Tenn./H. Frank Carey, N.Y.) drove in five runs while catcher Jackie Morley (North Wales, Pa./Archbishop Wood) plated four to lead the Eagles to a doubleheader sweep of Penn State-Altoona, 8-0 and 7-1, Friday afternoon at Weis Field.

Schmitt drove in all the runs Juniata (11-5) would need in game one in the very first inning, with a two-out, two-run double into center field that scored Stacy Nagy (Millerton, Pa./Troy) and Tara Carl (Duke Center, Pa./Otto-Eldred).

The Eagles added two more runs in the second inning, courtesy Stacy Nagy's RBI single to left and a bases loaded walk issued to Schmitt, followed by one run in the third on Carl's single to center that plated Denalyn Spratt (Haddon Heights, N.J./Haddon Heights).

Morley stretched Juniata's lead to 7-0 in the fourth inning, forcing two runs across on a single to left field. Rachel Nagy (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) ended the game with the 'eight run rule' in the fifth, when she belted a single into the gap in right center field, scored Sarah Eckard (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg).

Juniata righthander Alyssa Erb (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) pitched a two-hit gem for the Eagles, allowing one walk with 10 strikeouts - one off her season high of 11 strikeouts set back on March 12 against Wentworth (Mass.) - to improve her record to 7-4.

Penn State-Altoona starter Andrea Layton allowed eight runs, six earned, on 10 hits, and was charged with the loss to fall to 0-5.

Juniata was a little slower getting runs on the board in game two, as the Eagles took a 1-0 lead in the first inning and were unable to expand it until the fourth inning.

The Eagles tacked on two runs on no hits in the fourth, pushing runs across on two Penn State-Altoona errors, a wild pitch, and a pair of walks, including a bases loaded walk issued to Morley.

Schmitt homered to left center with two outs in the fifth, expanding the Juniata lead to 5-0, and the Eagles added two more runs in the sixth on RBI singles by Morley and Rachel Nagy.

Penn State-Altoona's only run of the game came in the top of the sixth, when Erin Cline's doubled home Alanna Luzier with a shot into left center field.

Juniata freshman Pam Heinrichs (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) scattered six hits and fanned three Lions in the complete game win, improving her mark to 3-0. Penn State-Altoona starter Callie Lyle allowed three earned runs on five hits, and took the loss to fall to 0-3.

Juniata returns to action on Saturday, March 28, when the Eagles host the University of Scranton in a Landmark Conference doubleheader starting at 1:00 p.m.

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