By: Laura Chapman
Assistant Sports Information Director
chapmal@juniata.edu • juniatasports.net
Photo: J.D. Cavrich Photography
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – In the final game of the three game series, the Juniata College baseball team lost a back-and-forth bout with Drew University, falling by a final score of 6-5. In a game with five lead changes, senior Joe Sforza (Pittstown, N.J./Immaculata) hit two home runs going 3-for-4 on the day with three RBI and three runs scored.
The Eagles opened scoring with junior Cody Krepps (Tyrone, Pa. / Bellwood-Antis) driving home Sforza on a two out single in the bottom of the first inning. Drew tied the game at 1-1 with a run of its own in the top of the second inning. It looked like Drew would take the lead in the top of the third, but senior Brad Medellin (Lewisberry, Pa. / Red Land) made a nice defensive play at second base to hold the runner to third and get the second out of the inning. In the bottom of the frame, Sforza put the Eagles back on top when he cranked a one out two-run homerun over the left filed fence to plate himself and senior Derek Heath (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon).
The Rangers grabbed the lead again with three runs in the top of the fourth inning. The score remained 4-3 Drew thanks to some quality field play by the Eagles. With one out in the top of the seventh inning, the Rangers attempted a suicide squeeze, but Juniata first baseman freshman Brady Cotler (Chadds Ford, Pa. / Salesianum) was quick off the mark and fielded the ball cleanly for the tag out at home plate by senior catcher Dan Gray (Johnstown, Pa. / Richland).
Sforza tied the game at 4-4 with a solo shot in the bottom of the seventh and Krepps followed with a one out double the put the go ahead run in scoring position. Krepps advanced to third on a ground out by Gray and scored on a two out single through the left side by sophomore Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area). However, the lead would not hold as the Rangers came back with two runs in the top of the eighth and shut down the Eagles in the final two fames to earn the series sweep with the 6-5 win.
Juniata will take to the road for the next week of play before returning home Monday, April 21, for a single game against Elizabethtown College beginning at 3 p.m.
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