Crusaders Stifle Late Rally From Eagles to Take 11-9 Victory

HUNTINGDON, Pa. – A three-run blast from pinch-hitter David DeFreest (Duxburry, Vt. / Harwood Union) in the eighth sparked a late rally for Juniata but the Susquehanna Crusaders escaped with an 11-9 victory Friday afternoon. 

Down 11-4 heading into the bottom of the eighth, the Eagles were looking for their spark. 

Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona) led off the inning with a single to short. The Crusaders turned two quick outs before Zach Tobash (Macungie, Pa. / Allentown Central Catholic) approached the plate. Lombardo advanced on a passed ball before Tobash drew a walk. DeFreest took the first pitch from Susquehanna's Cory Hallon and blasted a 3-run homer out to left field.

Jonathan Geyer (Newport, Pa. / Newport) took the mound in the ninth for the Eagles. Geyer and the JC defense turned a quick three outs to keep the momentum going. 

Chris Sinisi (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area) drew a walk from relief pitcher Bobby Whittemann to start the inning. An error on the shortstop brought Hunter Price (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area) to first, allowing Sinisi to advance to second. Devyn Carper (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area) followed with an RBI-single out to left field and the Eagles had one on the board with nobody out in the ninth.

With the two base hits, Carper extends his hitting streak to 12 games (half of which have been multi-hit games). 

Two batters and one out later, Alex Matoushek (Scranton, Pa. / West Scranton) reached on a fielder's choice. An error would bring Price home and advance Matoushek to second and Carper to third. The Crusaders brought Liam Conboy to the mound to stifle the Juniata rally. 

Chris Schreder (Lititz, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic) would reach on a fielder's choice as Susquehanna just snagged Carper out at home. The Crusaders would get out of the inning to win the game 11-9. 

Juniata began the game with an early 2-0 lead over their conference foes. In the bottom of the second, Tobash led off with a double to right centerfield. Isaac Kline (Everett, Pa. / Bedford) brought Tobash in with a single out to left. Next up to the plate was Sinisi. Sinisi ripped a double out to left centerfield to bring in Kline. 

The Crusaders answered back with three runs in the top of the third. They would pick up three more in the fifth and open up the offense a little more in the sixth to go up 10-2.

Jesse Beeler (Greencastle, Pa. / Greencastle-Antrim) started on the mound for Juniata. Beeler tossed 5.0 innings and struckout three batters. Ichiro Narita (Brooklyn, NY / Brooklyn Latin School) relieved Beeler in the sixth and tossed 3.0 innings. Geyer closed out game for the Eagles.

Juniata and Susquehanna are back in action Sat. March 26 at noon for a doubleheader at Langdon-Goodale Field.