ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. — Despite a pair of late rallies, the Juniata baseball team dropped both games of Saturday's Landmark Conference doubleheader at Elizabethtown, falling 13–8 in game one and 11–6 in game two.
Game 1 – Elizabethtown 13, Juniata 8
Jace Irvin led the way for Juniata in the opener, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an RBI double. His blast in the fourth inning got the Eagles on the board, and he added another run-scoring hit during a three-run sixth.
The Eagles put up a four-spot in the eighth to claw back into the game. Jackson Cunnane went 3-for-5 with a double and two RBIs, while Ricky Scott doubled in a run and Jordan Chui drove in two more with a single up the middle. Jacob Despot, Zach Johnston, Ethan Pfeffer, and Charlie Bakken also recorded hits, with Bakken and Despot adding doubles.
On the mound, Juniata used five pitchers. Braelan Huber gave the team a solid start through 4.1 innings, but Elizabethtown broke things open with seven runs in the sixth and four more in the seventh. Devon Coldren took the loss.
Game 2 – Elizabethtown 11, Juniata 6
In game two, the Eagles struck early, scoring twice in the first inning on a double by Irvin and a sacrifice fly from Johnston. Irvin had a monster game, going 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs, and a walk, while Connor Blough added two hits and scored twice.
Johnston finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, including a pair of run-scoring singles in the eighth and ninth innings. Cunnane chipped in with an RBI single, and Chui scored a run and drew a walk. Despot scored twice and stole a base.
Aidan Chermol started on the hill and pitched into the sixth inning, while Connor Rohm threw 2.2 innings in relief. The Blue Jays' six-run second inning proved to be the difference, as Juniata was unable to fully recover despite outhitting their opponent 11–8.
Juniata will look to bounce back on Sunday when they wrap up the weekend series with Elizabethtown.