WINTER HAVEN, Fla.- Juniata baseball jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the first inning as the Eagles piled up a season-best 13 runs and 16 hits in a 13-3 win over Ursinus in the second game of a doubleheader on Thursday morning. The game was played at Chain of Lakes Stadium.
Jesse Beeler (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) pitched a complete game for JC as he scattered five hits through seven innings. He gave up three runs (two earned) and two walks while striking out six.
Every player in the lineup had a hit for Juniata. Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) led the way with a 4-for-5 performance, three runs scored, and one run batted in. Chris Sinisi (Altoona, Pa/Altoona Area) went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and two runs batted in. David DeFreest (Duxbury, Vt./Harwood Union) was 2-for-3 and had a double, one run scored, and a team-high four runs batted in.
The Eagles got down to business right away as Chris Schreder (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) led off with a double to centerfield. Devyn Carper (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) singled to put Schreder on third base. Lombardo followed with a two-run single. After Joe Klusman (Wilmington, Del./St. Elizabeth) moved runners to second and third, Sinisi walked to load the bases. Hunter Price (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) and Zach Tobash (Macungie, Pa./Allentown Central) both walked to bring in runs and then DeFreest's bases clearing double scored three runs to give Juniata the big lead.
The Bears got one run back in the third. JC added runs on a Sinisi single and a Price sacrifice fly.
Ursinus scored in the bottom of the fifth on a wild pitch and a fielder's choice. Juniata completed the scoring as Isaac Kline (Everett, Pa./Bedford) doubled in Tobash and Defreest scored on a wild pitch.
The Bears won the first game 7-2. Caleb Pepperday (Phillipsburg, Pa./Phillipsburg-Osceola) took the loss for Juniata. He pitched six innings and surrendered nine hits, seven runs (four earned), walked three and also struck out three. Alex Matoushek (Scranton, Pa./West Scranton) pitched an inning of relief and gave up one hit while striking out one batter.
Ursinus scored once in the first inning to go ahead 1-0. A pair of runs in the third, fourth, and sixth innings increased its lead to 7-0.
The Eagles tried to get a rally going in the bottom of the seventh. After Carper grounded out to shortstop to lead off, Lombardo singled through the left side and moved to second on a Klusman groundout. Sinisi then reached first base on an error by the UC left fielder, which allowed Lombardo to score. Price singled to bring in Sinisi and it was 7-2. Price advanced to second on a passed ball and Tobash walked. On a 0-1 pitch, DeFreest hit into a fielder's choice and Tobash was out to end the game.
Tobash had the Eagles' only extra base hit of the game as he went 1-for-2 at the plate. Price was 1-for-3 with a run batted in and Lombardo went 1-for-3 with a run scored.
The Eagles conclude their Florida trip tomorrow morning with a nine-inning game against Cairn at Southeastern University's field. Game time will be at 10 a.m.
