SELINSGROVE, PA- The Eagles baseball team put up six runs in the fifth inning to close the gap but ultimately it was not enough as Susquehanna defeated Juniata 11-6 on Monday afternoon at Bollinger Field. The game was the first of a three-game series between the two schools.
JC fell behind 9-0 after four innings of play. Only three of the Crusader runs were earned as the Juniata defense committed two errors.
The Eagles' rally began as Brady Cotler (Chadds Ford, PA/Salesianum) led off with a single and Chris Sinisi (Altoona, PA/Altoona Area) reached on a fielder's choice. Joe Klusman (Wilmington, DE/St Elizabeth) followed with a single to move Sinisi to second and Nick Stubbs (Hagerstown, MD/South Hagerstown) reached on an error to load the bases.
A walk to Jacob Terry (Denver, PA/Cocalico) brought in a run. Chris Schreder (Lititz, PA/Lancaster Catholic) then singled to center field to score Klusman. A wild pitch scored Stubbs. Andre Pendleton's (Penn Valley, PA/Harriton) left field single plated two runs and it was now a 9-5 game. Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, PA/Altoona Area) got on base on a fielding error. Eric Grace (Hopewell, PA/Northern Bedford) reached on a fielder's choice to score Pendleton. With the top of the batting order back up, Cotler singled and Sinisi walked to load the bases but the rally ended when Klusman field out to shortstop.
SU was only able to score twice in their final two innings but still led 11-6. The Eagles attempted to mount one more rally in the ninth inning. Schreder led off with a single and Pendleton followed with a single through the right side of the infield. Lombardo then popped up to second base. The comeback ended when Grace grounded into a double play to end the game.
Grace pitched 6.2 innings and gave up seven hits, 10 runs (three earned), six walks, and struck out three. Wayne Hydak (Northern Versailles, PA/Serra Catholic) came in for 1.1 innings and surrendered just one hit, and one earned run.
Cotler finished 3-for-4 at the plate. Pendleton went 2-for-4 with a run scored and two RBIs. Schreder was 2-for-5 with a run and a RBI.
The two teams will play a doubleheader tomorrow afternoon. Game 1 will start at 1 p.m. with Game 2 beginning around 3:30 p.m.
