ELIZABETHTOWN, PA – Despite a late offensive rally in the ninth, the Juniata baseball team (6-12, 2-10 Landmark) fell to the Elizabethtown Blue Jays (16-8, 7-5 Landmark) 7-17 Monday afternoon.
Chris Schreder (Litiz, PA / Lancaster Catholic) led the Eagles with three hits in his five at-bats. Schreder earned two RBIs and scored one run.
Jesse Beeler (Greencastle, PA / Greencastle-Antrim) was the starting pitcher for Juniata. Beeler tossed three innings for the Eagles, giving up nine hits and 11 runs (seven earned). Caleb Pepperday (Phillipsburg, PA / Phillipsburg-Osceola HS) stepped in at relief but the Blue Jays offensive streak continued. Pepperday struck out one batter but Elizabethtown brought in five more runs. Jonathan Geyer (Newport, PA / Newport High School) pitched the final two innings. Geyer struck out two and allowed one run on two hits.
The Eagles got things started in the top of the first, capitalizing on early mistakes by the Blue Jays. Schreder scored an unearned run when Andre Pendleton (Penn Valley, PA / Harriton HS) stole second. Pendleton then scored on a wild pitch.
Heading into the third, Juniata was down 2-6 but the Eagles fought back and were able to bring the game within one run. With bases loaded, Jacob Terry (Denver, PA / Cocalico HS) was walked and Eric Grace (Hopewell, PA / Northern Bedford) advanced to home for the run. Schreder singled to left, bringing in two runs.
Elizabethtown had a solid seventh inning and gave themselves a 17-5 lead heading into the ninth. Chris Sinisi (Altoona, PA / Altoona Area) hit an RBI-single to left to bring in Kyle Pannebaker. (Thompsontown, PA / East Juniata). Grace scored on an error but the Eagles' rally would stop there and the Blue Jays would win 17-7.
