HUNTINGDON, Pa.- Juniata baseball split their home opener on Sunday, first losing to Hood 10-6 in seven innings before coming back to win 4-2 in nine innings in the second game of the doubleheader.
The day began well for Hood's offense, as they were able to plate four runs in the top of the first inning against Eagles starter Drew Westover (Burnham, Pa. / Mifflin County). The Eagles responded with a run of their own in the bottom of the first, with Joey Allegrini (Hershey, Pa. / Hershey) scoring on a sacrifice fly after doubling to lead off the inning. Westover would then settle into the game, holding Hood scoreless for the next two innings while Juniata would score a run in the bottom of the third courtesy of an RBI single from freshman catcher Joey Woodrow (Gibsonia, Pa. / Pine-Richland).
A solo home run in the top of the fourth and a run on an error in the fifth would be the last scored on Westover by Hood. With the score now 6-2 in Hood's favor, Jack Johnson (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) would relieve Westover in the top of the sixth. Hood's batters adjusted quickly to the pitching change, scoring two more runs in the top of the sixth and then a further two in the top of the seventh. The Eagles matched this output with a two-RBI single in the bottom of the sixth from Will Kinchington (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Chartiers Valley) and a two-run home run from Woodrow in the bottom of the seventh. Juniata was unable to complete the comeback though, and ultimately those first four runs would make the difference.
Game two saw the pitchers take command for much of the contest, with Eagles starter Chase Alessandroni (Royersford, Pa. / Springford) giving up only two runs on six hits in five innings of work, while Hood's pitching staff held Juniata scoreless in their first seven frames. The bats would come alive for the Eagles in the bottom of the eighth, beginning with a double from Evan Mock (McVeytown, Pa. / Mifflin County). He was then brought home by a two-run shot over the wall from Allegrini, tying the game at two apiece.
Joey Allegrini? More like Joey AlleSEEYA!!! #WingsUp #TakingFlight #GoEagles #BringTheJuice #YesIndeed pic.twitter.com/oEFfF0f0V4
— Juniata Athletics (@JuniataEagles) March 6, 2022
Juniata was not finished though, with Michael Warren (New Berlin, Pa. / Mifflinburg Area) hitting an RBI single before being brought home by an RBI single from freshman Colson Lewis (Tipton, Pa. / Tyrone Area). Pitcher Zachary Malone (Bainbridge, Pa. / Elizabethtown Area) would then retire the Hood batters in order to close out the game, locking up the win for the Eagles.
The baseball team will next hit the diamond on March 12th, traveling to the campus of Mary Washington for some spring break action.
