WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Juniata baseball team led Catholic 2-1 heading into the ninth but a two-run walk-off homerun gave the Cardinals the victory 3-2 Sunday afternoon.
The Eagles wasted no time getting ahead early and went up 2-0 after the first inning.
Devyn Carper (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area) hit a leadoff double down the third baseline then advanced to third on a groundout from Anthony Lombardo (Altoona, Pa. / Altoona Area).
Joe Klusman (Wilmington, Del. / St. Elizabeth) would reach on a fielder's choice that got Carper out at third. Klusman advanced to second on an error from the pitcher before Zach Tobash (Macungie, Pa. / Allentown Central) blasted a 2-run shot out to left centerfield.
Juniata would hold a 2-0 lead over Catholic until the bottom of the seventh when the Cardinals hit a leadoff homerun out to left center. The Eagles would get out of the inning holding on to a 2-1 edge over Catholic.
Isaac Kline (Everett, Pa. / Bedford) started on the mound for Juniata. Kline threw 7.0 innings, gave up just four hits, one run and recorded five strikeouts. Hunter Price (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area) relieved Kline in the eighth and recorded one strikeout through 1.2 innings.
In the bottom of the ninth, Catholic had the tying run on third with two outs. With the score 2-1 in favor of the Eagles, Catholic's Andrew Stewart blasted a walk-off homer to give the Cardinals the win, 3-2.
The loss drops the Eagles' final record to 9-30 (4-17 Landmark) on the season. Juniata recorded 181 runs, 13 homeruns, 303 hits and 44 stolen bases as a team in 2016.
