Behind Two Solid Pitching Debuts, Juniata Splits Doubleheader

CLERMONT, Fla. – Juniata split its doubleheader on day two of the Florida trip. The Eagles bounced back from their 7-4 loss against Northwestern with a 9-1 victory over Mount Ida. 

Northwestern 7, Juniata 4

A four-run sixth inning for Northwestern was the key for its victory over Juniata in game one of the doubleheader. Abby Ebright (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) led JC's offense as she tallied three hits and one RBI in the three-run loss. 

Freshman Anna Baran (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) made her first start in an Eagles' uniform. Baran let up one run in the first inning, as Northwestern put one across on a wild pitch.

With the early 1-0 deficit, Juniata battled back in the bottom of the second to knot the game at one. Alicia Regnault (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater Raritan) reached first on a fielder's choice by the Northwestern shortstop and later advanced to second on a passed ball. Brooke Ridenour (Thurmont, Md./Catoctin) then rocketed a RBI single to center field to score Regnault from second.

Northwestern quickly took a one-run lead again with a run scored in the top of the third inning on three hits and an error. Baran forced a crucial fly out to Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) at shortstop to get out of a bases-loaded jam. Stranding the runners, Northwestern held a 2-1 lead.

Neither team was able to plate any in the third inning. However, at the bottom of the fourth, Juniata knotted the game once again as Alyssa Shedlock (State College, Pa./State College) scored Molly Ulrich (Homer, N.Y./Homer Central) with her RBI double to right center. Shedlock, though, attempted to make her double into a triple and was called out at third for the Eagles' third out of the inning.

Tied at 2, Baran kept Northwestern scoreless in the top of the fifth. In the bottom half of the inning, the Eagles gained the lead with Jennifer Cathrew's (New Paris, Pa./Chestnut-Ridge) bases-load infield hit that plated Allie Baney (State College, Pa./State College).

The 3-2 lead was short-lived, however, as Northwestern scored four in the top of the sixth. Baran got off to rough start in the inning, so she was relieved by Kelsey Doell (Burlington, N.J./Doane Academy). Doell stepped in the circle with bases-loaded and struggled to keep them from crossing home. She recorded a third-out punch out to strand three baserunners, keeping the score at 6-3. 

JC and Northwestern each scored one more to make the final score of the contest 7-4.   

Baran pitched five innings, allowing five hits, five runs, eight walks and three strikeouts. Doell threw for one inning of relief. Maddie Garrick (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) and Rachael Bernier (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area) combined for the closing inning.

Juniata 9, Mount Ida 1

In the second game of the day, the Eagles beat the Mount Ida Mustangs 9-1 in five innings with freshman Raeleigh Redden (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield) in the circle.

After a scoreless top of the inning, Juniata crossed four on a single and two sacrifice flies. With the bases loaded and no outs, Kerigan Ammerman singled to right center to score Alyssa Shedlock  and Allie Baney, while Abby Ebright advanced to the third. Jordan Wahrenberger (Shamong, N.J.) and Alicia Regnault each recorded effective outs, as they scored Ebright and Ammerman with their sacrifice flies.

Up 4-0 on the Mustangs in the second inning, Redden let up the first hit of the game. The leadoff single, followed by a walk, did not harm the Eagles' lead, as the freshman struck out the next batter and Baney orchestrated an unassisted double play to end the inning. 

Anna Baran, Brooke Ridenour, Baney, Ebright and Wahrenberger strung together hits to score four more runs for the Eagles in the bottom of the second. Baran led off the inning with a single up the middle, her first collegiate hit. Ridenour followed with a base hit to center. Shedlock's groundout effectively moved Baran and Ridenour, putting both in scoring position for Baney. Baney tallied another RBI as she singled to left field, scoring Baran. Ebright then knocked in Ridenour and Baney with perfectly placed base hit through the right side. With Ebright on second, Wahrenberger doubled to bring her home and extend the Juniata lead to 8-0.

Redden shut down the Mustangs' offense, allowing only one run to score on two consecutive singles and a stolen base in the fifth inning. In her collegiate debut, the freshman recorded five innings with seven hits, one earned run, two walks and one strikeout. She threw 73 pitches, 48 of them for strikes. 

Baney, Ebright, Ammerman and Wahrenberger each tallied two RBI in the 9-1 victory over Mount Ida.