HUNTINGDON, Pa.- After a layoff of 11 days which included a postponement last weekend, the Juniata baseball team returned to the field as it hosted Penn State-Altoona in the Eagles' home opener on Tuesday afternoon. In Game 1, JC led 4-0 after the first inning and added runs in the fourth and fifth innings on its way to an 11-4 victory.
Devyn Carper (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) scored the first run for the Eagles on a passed ball. Chris Schreder (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Catholic) then came home on a fielder's choice. With runners on second and third and one out, two more runs came home on a passed ball as Juniata got ahead 4-0.
The Lions got three runs back in the top of the second to close the gap and make it a 4-3 game. Juniata was able to answer in the bottom of the fourth with a three-run inning to increase its lead to 7-3. The Eagle advantage went up in the bottom of the fifth with two-run singles by Cameron Livingston (Blairsville, Pa./Blairsville) and Carper.
After the Penn State Altoona three-run second inning, Juniata pitching shut the Lions down. Five Eagle pitchers went 5 1/3 innings with four hits, one unearned run, and one walk surrendered and five strikeouts.
Livingston finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and three runs batted in. Matt Innella (Commack, NY/Commack) went 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored. Schreder was 2-for-3 and scored a run. Issac Kline (Everett, Pa./Bedford) had a double and two runs scored.
In Game 2, the Lions led 1-0 on a Gavin Roselli RBI single. Devin McLaughlin (Monmouth Beach, NJ/Shore Regional) tied the game up in the bottom of the second with a homerun to left field. Carper gave Juniata the lead as he singled to centerfield to score Josh Keszcyk (Boyertown, Pa/Boyertown).
Penn State-Altoona tied the contest at 2-2 on an Austin Anderson sacrifice fly. The Lions took the lead for good as six runs came across home plate in the top of the fifth.
McLaughlin hit 1-for-3 and hit his second homerun of the season. Schreder had the only extra base hit for the Eagles, a double in the second inning.
Juniata (5-11) travels to Carlisle, Pa to play Dickinson on Saturday. Game 1 begins at 12:30 p.m. with the second game starting around 3:00 p.m.