By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: Jennifer Jones
LEWSIBURG, Pa. – On a cold and windy day in Lewisburg, Pa. on Depew Field at Bucknell University, the Juniata College baseball team dropped two seven-inning games to Susquehanna University. The Eagles fell to 3-11 on the year and 0-3 in Landmark Conference play.
Senior Brad Medellin (Lewisberry, Pa./Red Land) threw six complete innings in the 5-1 game-two loss, giving up five runs, two earned, and five hits with two strikeouts. Freshman Eric Grace (Hopewell, Pa./Northern Bedford) threw one inning giving up just one hit to close out the contest.
The rubber match of this three-game series opened no runs scored through the first 12 outs before the Crusaders opened the scoring with three in the top of the third. Susquehanna added a fourth run in the top of the fourth inning before Juniata responded with an RBI single by freshman centerfielder Jamie Fell (Frazier, Pa./Frazier) to score senior third baseman Joe Sforza (Pittstown, N.J./Immaculata) from third to put the game at 4-1 Crusaders.
Juniata loaded the bases in the bottom of the sixth and had two runners on base in the bottom of the seventh, but was unable to score, falling by a final score of 5-1.
In game one of the afternoon doubleheader, Juniata scored two runs in the bottom of the first for the opening runs of the day. With one out in the bottom of the inning, senior catcher Dan Gray (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) drove home Medellin followed by an RBI single to left filed by sophomore third baseman Kyle Pannebaker (Thompsontown, Pa./East Juniata) to score Sforza. Pannebaker finished 3-for-3 in the game with one RBI.
Susquehanna responded with three runs in the top of the second, four in the fourth, and one in the fifth, before the Eagles scored again. With two outs and runners at the corners, sophomore Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) pinch-hit a single over the second baseman's head to score Gray from third.
Sforza threw four innings from the mound, taking the loss, giving up eight hits, six earned runs, and striking out one. Freshman Wayne Haydak (Northern Versailles, Pa./Serra Catholic) gave up two hits and two earned runs while striking out two batters in his two complete innings pitched.
Juniata will open the home season on Wed., March 19, at 3:30 p.m. when it hosts Gettysburg College in a single nine-inning game.
Follow Your Eagles! Stay up-to-date on your Juniata College Eagles by following us on twitter (@JuniataEagles) and on Facebook (Juniata Eagles).
