(Posted March 17, 2003)

BASEBALL (4-5, 1-2 Commonwealth): March 13 at Pitt Greensburg; March 15 vs. Mt. Aloysius.

*Commonwealth Conference game.
The Juniata College baseball team opened up their season with a nine-game trip to Florida this past week. The Eagles played went 3-3 in the EMU Sarasota Spring Classic, and then went 1-3 against Commonwealth Conference opponent Moravian in Fort Myers, Florida. The Eagle offense got off to a hot start, as Juniata did not score fewer than five runs in any of the nine contests. The Eagles averaged just over eight runs per game, and scored 13 and 11 runs respectively in two of their wins. Marc Frailey (Middletow/Middletown) led the Eagles with a .571 batting average during the trip as he had a team-high 15 hits. Matt Garner (Bellwood-Antis/Bellwood) hit .417 on the week with a home run and eight RBI, while Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster) drove in four runs while batting .414. Freshmen David Saintz (Titusville/Titusville) and Jesse Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) wasted no time in adjusting to college baseball. Both players batted .400 in the nine games and each also hit a pair of home runs. Saintz drove in 13 runs on the week to lead the team, and has a team-best .686 slugging percentage through nine games. Saintz, Leonard and Goedkoop all were named to the EMU Sarasota Spring Classic all-tournament team for their efforts. Zach Sternberg (McCaskey/Lancaster) and Adam Camberg (Altoona/Altoona) each also batted over .300 for the week and had a home run apiece. Camberg tied Saintz for the team lead with 13 RBI. On the mound for Juniata, the Eagles got solid performances from several pitchers. Jayme Fye (Philipsburg/Philipsburg) earned two wins on the week, one as a starter and one coming out of the bullpen. He struck out 13 batters in 9 1/3 innings of work. Ryan O'Donnell claimed a victory as he appeared in three games, allowing only 1 earned run in 6 2/3 innings while striking out 11. Freshman Andrew Michanowicz had the last win for the Eagles as he allowed four runs in six innings of work against Bluffton College. Eric Hatten (Dubois/Dubois) picked up two saves on the week and did not allow an earned run while striking out five. Eric Bridenbaugh (Central/Martinsburg), another freshmen, led the Eagles with 13 2/3 innings pitched for the week and struck out a team-high 14 batters. Although they were played in Florida, the games against Moravian will count as part of Juniata's conference record.

SOFTBALL (3-0, 0-0 Commonwealth): March 13 at Albright (2)*; March 15 vs. Widener (2)*.

*Commonwealth Conference game.
The Eagles opened their season as well as they possibly could have as they swept three games at the Virginia Wesleyan Marlin vs. East Challenge. The Eagles topped Christopher Newport 4-3 on the first day of action and then swept a doubleheader from Virginia Wesleyan by scores of 13-4 and 6-3. Lizzie Bartosik (Granger, IN) earned her first victory as she allowed three runs on five hits in the complete-game victory over Christopher Newport. A sacrifice from Pam Michael (Baldwin/Pittsburgh) brought in the winning run. In the first game against Virginia Wesleyan the Eagles pounded out 15 hits en route to the victory. Becky Herr (Hamburg/Hamburg) was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and Allison D'Ambrosia (State College/Boalsburg) knocked in four runs in the win. Amy Gable (Kennard-Dale/Stewartstown) pitched five innings to get the win. Jessica Darrow (Wellsboro) was the winning pitcher in the second victory over Virginia Wesleyan as she went all seven innings allowing only three runs. Amber Helsel (Claysburg-Kimmel/Claysburg) went 4-for-4 with triple and a double and drove in two runs. Sarah Patterson (Danville/Danville) also drove in a pair on the strength of a triple and a double. The Eagles' 3-0 start marks the first time since the 1983 season that they have started the year with three straight wins.

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