HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Strong offensive performances from the Susquehanna Crusaders in Saturday's doubleheader resulted in a series sweep of the Juniata baseball team in Landmark Conference play Saturday. The Eagles fell 12-4 in game one and 7-2 in game two. Juniata nearly rallied to victory Friday afternoon but the Crusaders took the series opener 11-9.
Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area) led the Eagles with a 7-for-7 performance at the plate, including a 2-run homer in the first inning of game one. The first basemen has now surpassed 100 hits in his career and is on an 8-game hitting streak.
Lombardo's homerun gave Juniata an early 2-0 lead over Susquehanna. The Crusaders would pickup just one run in the second but got the bats going in the third to take a 7-2 lead.
Heading into the bottom of the fifth, Susquehanna had jumped out to a 9-2 lead.
Joe Klusman (Wilmington, Del. / St. Elizabeth) led off the inning with a single to right centerfield. Chris Sinisi (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona) and Josh Keszczyk (Boyertown, PA. / Boyertown Area) followed with back-to-back walks to load the bases. Devyn Carper (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area) reached first on a fielder's choice that also brought Klusman across the plate. Lombardo then knocked in Sinisi with a single out to left field to make it 9-4 SU.
Susquehanna held the Eagles without a run the remainder of the game and picked up three of their own in the seventh to win by a 12-4 final.
Hunter Price (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area) started on the mound for JC and tossed 3.1 innings, recording one strikeout. J.D. Weyant (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut Ridge) came in to relieve Price in the fourth. Weyant gave up just one hit. Jonathan Geyer (Newport, Pa. / Newport) would close out the final three innings on the mound, giving up four hits and recording one strikeout.
The Crusaders kept their bats hot in game two and took a 4-0 lead in the third inning.
In the bottom of the fourth, a double down the left field line from Lombardo put Juniata in position to get on the board. Klusman singled out to right field and reached second on the throw. With runners in scoring position and nobody out, Zach Tobash (Macungie, Pa. / Allentown Central Catholic) hit a bullet down the left field line that popped off the foot of the third basemen to knock in two. The Crusaders quickly quieted the Juniata momentum with a pair of strikeouts and a ground-out.
Susquehanna went on to win by a final score of 7-2.
Isaac Kline (Everett, Pa. / Bedford) started on the mound for Juniata in game two. Kline tossed 5.0 innings and recorded six strikeouts. Relievers Caleb Pepperday (Phillipsburg, Pa. / Phillipsburg-Osceola) and Wayne Hydak (North Versailles, Pa. / Serra Catholic) combined for the final two innings.
Juniata takes on the Gettysburg Bullets Thursday at 3:30 p.m.
