Juniata Settles For Split After 13-6 Decision Against Emerson

CLERMONT, Fla. – Following a 10-7 victory over Penn State-Brandywine in game one, the Juniata softball team settled for a split on the day when game two against Emerson was called at 13-6 due to a city ordinance¹ Wednesday night.

Both games had been pushed back nearly an hour and a half from games played earlier in the day. It was explained to the teams that the ordinance¹ required stadium lighting to be shut down at a certain time.

Game One – Juniata vs Penn State Brandywine

The Eagles knocked a run in early on an RBI-double from Lindsey Kosicki (Patton, Pa./Cambria Heights) that brought in Abby Ebright (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East).

The Lions quickly responded and put up three of their own in the bottom frame. 

In the top of the second, Juniata's offense opened up. Holly Bettinger (Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin) was walked to start the inning. Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, Pa. / Annville-Cleona) singled to left-center and the bases would be loaded on a single to right field from Natalya Sizdahkhani (Gaithersburg, MD / Quince Orchard).

Juniata would pick up a free run when Jennifer Carthew (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut-Ridge) drew a walk to force Bettinger home. Ebright brought in two on a single out to center. Next to the plate for the Eagles was Allie Baney (State College, Pa. / State College Area). Baney came up with the big hit and blasted a triple to bring in Ebright and Carthew. She would score a run moments later when Kosicki was walked.

The Lions made a pitching change and were able to get out of the inning with Juniata ahead 7-3.

PSU-Brandywine chipped into the Eagles' 9-3 lead by recording three runs of their own in the fourth. 

A sacrifice fly from Bettinger brought Baney across the plate in the sixth to bring Juniata's lead to 10-6. The Lions picked up one run in the bottom of the seventh as JC went on to win by a final of 10-7.

Lerchen started on the mound for Juniata. She tossed 3.1 innings and struck out five batters.

Maddie Garrick (Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) came in as relief and pitched the rest of the game. She recorded six strikeouts, including a lights-out bottom of the fifth.

Game Two – Juniata vs. Emerson 

At nearly 9:00 p.m., Juniata's game against Emerson (originally scheduled for 7:00 p.m.) began. The Lions quickly jumped out to a 3-0 lead following a two-run homer in the first. That is the first homerun JC has given up this season.

Juniata got on the board in the bottom of the third on a homer from Paige Dennison (East Berlin, Pa. / Bermudian Springs). With eight hits on 12 at bats, Dennison leads the Eagles with a .667 batting average this season. 

Emerson took advantage of a few errors in the top of the fourth and put up seven runs to take a 10-1 lead over Juniata. The Eagles added on a run in the bottom half of the inning when Kosicki scored on a wild pitch.

Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Juniata was looking at an 11-run deficit. The team refused to back down from the task ahead of them and quickly got to work.

Ebright started things off with a single to left. Dennison was next to the plate and hit a single to right field. With one out in the inning, Kosicki singled to bring in Ebright and put Dennison in scoring position. A double from Bettinger brought in Kosicki and Dennison and Juniata was gaining momentum.

Amy Chen (Philadelphia, Pa. / Science Leadership Academy) came in to pinch run for Bettinger when Brooke Walls (Mifflinburg, Pa. / Mifflinburg) ripped a double up the middle. Chen crossed the plate and the Eagles picked up four in the fifth to make it 13-6.

The rally was cut short due to the ordinance¹ .

Sarah Sotelo (Fairfax, Va. / Paul VI Catholic) tossed 3.1 innings and struck out two for the Eagles.

Juniata concludes their Spring Break trip to Florida with two Friday night games under the lights at 5:00p.m. (Lancaster Bible) and 7:00p.m. (Clarkson).

1- per on-site tournament representative