Baseball opens 2012 campaign with 8-1 loss at Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, Va. – Juniata College baseball got seven runners aboard but were only able to get one past second base, and opened its 2012 season with an 8-1 loss at Bridgewater College, Sunday afternoon at Jopson Field. 

Juniata scored its lone run in the seventh when Cole Walters (Mount Union, Pa./Mount Union) reached on a leadoff single, advanced on Jace Rhoads' (Summerville, Pa./Clarion-Limestone) pinch hit single and a walk drawn by Russell Gray (Johnstown, Pa./Richland), and crossed on Thomas Eck's (Columbia, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) double play grounder.

Bridgewater plated two runs in the second on RBI singles by Andrew Hacker and Derrik Walling, tacked on a single run in the third. BC then exploded for four runs in the fourth on three hits, including a one-run double down the right field line off Juniata starter Matt Regan (Downingtown, Pa./Devon Prep).

Regan fanned three Bridgewater batters while allowing no walks in three-and-two-thirds innings of work, before being lifted in the fourth inning. He allowed seven of Bridgewater's eight runs, all earned, and was charged with the loss.

Bridgewater starter Corey Armentrout struck out five over his seven innings on the mound while scattering five hits on his way to the win. 

Juniata will return to the diamond on Sunday, March 4, down in Winter Haven, Fla., when it faces Rivier College in a doubleheader at the RussMatt Invitational tournament.

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