HUNTINGDON, Pa.- After Penn College erased a 5-0 deficit with five runs in the eighth inning, Juniata escaped with a win via a Jordan Chui RBI single past the shortstop in the ninth inning for a 6-5 victory.
Zach Johnston hit his third home run in the past week with his solo shot in the third inning, going 2-for-5 with the home run, a double, one RBI, and two runs. Caden Collin had the team's other extra-base hit, an RBI double in the first inning, going 1-for-3. Corey Daniels reached base safely three times, going 1-for-3 with two walks.
Conor Rohm got the start and worked through the first two innings with no earned runs, no hits, two strikeouts, and one walk. Aidan Chermol powered through the next four innings scoreless with two hits, three strikeouts, and two walks, while Connor Meisner earned his first win of the season for shutting down through the final 1 and 1/3 innings with no earned runs, one hit, one walk, and three strikeouts.
After a 1-2-3 top of the first inning, Juniata was quick to build a lead with four runs in the first inning. Dakotah Snyder was hit to start the frame; then Daniels was walked. Michael Warren knocked in the first run on an RBI single to left field and advanced Daniels to third. Wood row hit a ball deep enough to right to score Daniels, and Warren advanced to third in the process. This set the stage for Charlie Bakken to hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Warren. From there, Johnston and Collins had back-to-back doubles to score one run before a flyout ended the first.
Rohm worked out of a two-runner jam following an inning-opening walk and infield error by generating two strikeouts and a lineup. After loading the bases in the bottom of the second Snyder being hit again, a Daniels single, and a Woodrow single, an infield ground stranded three.
Johnston opened the third with a home run to left field, giving the Eagles a 5-0 lead. For the second straight inning, the Eagles loaded the bases but were unable to capitalize. Tim Coleman bunted aboard with one out, Chui walked, and Daniels walked following a double steal from the duo before a flyout ended the inning.
Chermol was quick to rid the basepaths with double plays in both the fifth and sixth innings, both times inducing weak ground balls to Chui. The one in the fifth was a 4-6-3 double play, while Chui fielded the ball on the left side of second base and threw it himself over to Warren on the double play in the sixth.
Juniata's bats went quiet from the fourth through the seventh innings, as 11 consecutive batters were retired.
The eighth inning saw the Wildcats strike for five to level the game. They got two aboard with a walk and single up the middle. With one out, they hit a home run clear of the fence in left field. The next hitter singled, followed by a strikeout to get two outs. The Wildcats persisted, however, with a triple down the right-field line and a single to score two more.
Meisner came in in relief and found a strikeout to escape with the game level. Juniata could get into scoring position in the bottom of the eighth, and neither could Penn in the ninth as Meisner struck out two.
Woodrow started the ninth with a single, although the pinch runner was picked off and caught in a rundown. Sebastian Tringali swiftly put a runner on with a walk, although Penn struck out the next batter for two outs. Will Kinchington pinch-hit and hit a single to get two on. Coleman walked to load the bases, then Chui singled to left to earn the win.
Juniata begins conference play this weekend, facing Catholic for three games. The first pitch of Saturday's doubleheader is at noon.
