Softball Splits Thursday Doubleheader

CLERMONT, Fla. – The Eagles displayed their offensive power in game one of their doubleheader today, beating St. Elizabeth 13-4 in five innings. In game two, however, Juniata fell 12-6 to Muhlenburg.

Juniata 13, St. Elizabeth 4

Rachael Bernier (Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte Area) had an impressive game on both sides of the ball, pitching a complete game while going 3-for-3 at the plate. Alyssa Shedlock (State College, Pa./State College) also went 3-for-3 with a triple and two RBI in JC's offensive surge.

Shedlock led off the game with a single that landed her on third due to a St. Elizabeth error, setting the tone for the Eagles. With two outs, Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) reached first on a fielder's choice and moved to third on a wild pitch. Abby Ebright (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) then drew a walk. Ammerman and Ebright pulled off a double steal and Ammerman scored JC's first run.

Bernier stepped out onto the rubber in the bottom of the first. The freshman allowed a run to cross with a two-out, RBI double to right center. She then retired the side with a strikeout.

In the top of the second, Juniata regained the lead with a five-run inning. Alicia Regnault (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater Raritan) led off with an infield hit. She advanced to third on Jennifer Carthew's (New Paris, Pa./Chestnut-Ridge) base hit to right field. On a wild pitch, Regnault scored the Eagles' first run of the inning. The Eagles scored on the next five consecutive plays, as they took advantage of errors and put runners on the bases. Bernier and Shedlock singled and Brooke Ridenour (Thurmont, Md./Catoctin) tripled.

St. Elizabeth pushed one across the plate in the bottom of the second. However, Juniata maintained a 6-2 lead.

With two St. Elizabeth errors and three more hits, including another triple from Ridenour and a triple from Shedlock, Juniata extended its lead to 11-2 in the top of the third.

Bernier and the Juniata defense kept St. Elizabeth's bats quiet in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the fourth, Juniata plated two more to total 13 runs. Two straight wild pitches scored Ebright for the first run and Bernier completed her 3-for-3 day with a single to left to score Jordan Wahrenberger (Shamong, N.J./Seneca).

Up 13-2, Bernier threw a one-two-three bottom half of the inning. St. Elizabeth scored two runs in the bottom of the fifth, but it was not enough to pose a threat to Juniata's lead.

Bernier's final line: five innings pitched, seven hits, four runs, all earned, one walk and four strikeouts.

Muhlenberg 12, Juniata 6

Juniata was unable to recover from Muhlenberg's six-run third inning as it fell 12-6 in game two of the doubleheader. Ebright hit in three of JC's runs and scored one.

Juniata scored in its leadoff inning, taking an early one-run lead. Ebright reached first on a misplay by the Muhlenberg first baseman and Ammerman scored.

Anna Baran (Tyrone, Pa./Tyrone) stepped in the circle in the bottom of the first. The freshman let up a single and a triple to plate Muhlenberg's first run. They tacked on two more in the bottom of the second to take a 3-1 lead.

The Eagles were retired in order in the top of the third. In the bottom of the inning, Muhlenberg broke out with six runs on three hits and two errors. Freshman Raeleigh Redden (Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield) came in to relieve Baran with one out and runners on first and second. JC got out of the inning with two groundouts.

Down 9-1, Juniata tacked on two in the fourth, two in the fifth, and one in the sixth. However, while the Eagles added up six more, Muhlenberg tacked on three more.

Ebright, Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, Pa./Annville-Cleona), Carthew and Bernier contributed to Juniata's seven hits. Baran took the loss, as she threw 2.1 innings pitched, allowing five hits, six runs, two walks and one homer. Redden threw 3.2 innings in relief, allowing five hits and six runs.