By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: Jennifer Jones
AUBRUNDALE, Fl. – On the second day of the RussMatt Central Florida Invitational, the Juniata College baseball team dropped a pair of decisions, 13-1 and 6-1, to Franklin & Marshall College and fell to 1-7 on the year. Sophomore designated hitter Kyle Pannebaker (Thompsontown, Pa./East Juniata) and sophomore Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) both finished the day 2-for-4.
Game two opened with two quick innings before Juniata threatened in the top of the third. Sophomore left fielder David DeFreest (Duxburry, Vt./Harwood Union) doubled to right field before advancing to third on a single to right by sophomore right fielder Joe Klussman (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth High School) for runners at the corners with one out. Klussman advanced to second on the next batter, but the Eagles were unable to bring anyone home.
F&M scored on an RBI double in the bottom of the frame for the 1-0 lead. The Eagles threatened again in the top of the fifth with a leadoff single by Pannebaker, but left pinch runner freshman Brendan Hower (New Bloomfield, Pa./West Perry HS) stranded in scoring position after he stole second. The Diplomats scored twice in the bottom of the fifth and tacked on three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the seven-inning game 6-1.
In game one, F&M opened up with four runs in the first inning before senior pitcher Brad Medellin (Lewisberry, Pa./Red Land) induced a 6-4-3 double play to end the scoring. F&M hardly missed a beat, scoring three more in the third, two in the fourth, and four in the fifth for the 13-0 lead. Juniata scored one run in the bottom of the sixth after shortstop Derek Heath (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon) led off the inning with a hit-by-pitch and stole second, coming around to score on an RBI groundout by Pannebaker.
Medellin took the loss in game two surrendering nine runs from 12 hits in 3.1 innings. Senior Ryan Morrison (Lebanon, Pa./Lebanon Catholic) threw 1.2 innings in relief, giving up no hits and striking out two, and Pannebaker closed out the day with two innings on the mound allowing five hits and three earned runs. Junior Chris Fulton (West Chester, Pa/Unionville High School) went the distance in game one, tossing six complete innings allowing six earned runs on nine hits and striking out three.
Juniata takes on continues at the RussMatt Invitational tomorrow with a doubleheader against Waynesburg University, first pitch is slated for 10:30 a.m.
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