HUNTINGDON, Pa. – The Juniata baseball team dropped the third game of their conference series against Scranton, 17-4, Sunday afternoon at Langdon-Goodale Field.
With runners on second and third, the Royals popped a three-run home run over the left field fence to start off the game. Eager to get on the board themselves, Dillon Hippensteel (Dillsburg, Pa./York Catholic) crossed the plate for the Eagles in the bottom of the inning, beating out a throw at home from the right fielder after a double from Chris Schreder (Lititz, Pa./Lancaster Catholic).
Hunter Price (Huntingdon, Pa./Huntingdon Area) singled through the left side in the second, making his way to third off a steal and throwing error on the catcher but was left on base to close the inning.
The Royals scored another in the third, an RBI crossing the plate after a Scranton fly caught hold of the wind to go up 4-1. Scranton opened up at the plate in the fourth and fifth to gain another nine runs.
JC came out swinging in the bottom of the fifth, Josh Keszczyk (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown Area) starting the Eagles off with a single to center field. Larry Corle (Martinsburg, Pa./Central High School) reached on a fielder's choice and scored on Hippensteel's single up the middle.
The Eagles picked up a pair of runs in the eighth. Cameron Livingston (Blairsville, Pa./Blairsville) reached first after being hit by a pitch and advanced to second off Joshua Gery's (Pottstown, Pa./Pottstown Senior High School) infield single. Zane Morgan (Bigler, Pa./Clearfield Area High School) crushed a triple to right field, sending both runners home.
Scranton locked down defensively in the ninth and took the game 17-4.
Hippensteel went 2-3 at the plate with one RBI and a run scored. Morgan was 1-2 with two RBI.
The Eagles travel to Florida to compete in the RussMatt Invitational in the upcoming week. The team will play six games, starting off with a doubleheader against SUNY Cobleskill on Tuesday.