York College upends Juniata softball in doubleheader sweep

YORK, Pa. – York College touched Juniata College pitchers for 27 hits over both ends of Thursday's softball doubleheader, as York swept Juniata, 12-0 and 11-5, at Spartan Stadium.

Juniata fell to 6-5 with the losses, while York improved to 15-1.

The Eagles held a 3-2 lead after two innings in game two, after putting up a pair of runs in the second inning. Allison Gerlach (Mesa, Ariz./Marcos de Niza) got aboard with a one-out single, and stole second. She was doubled home by Sarah Eckard's (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) belt to left field, and Eckard crossed later in the frame on a fielder's choice grounder. 

York retook the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third on Kelly Smith's two-out, two-run single into center field. The Spartans added to their margin with a five-run fourth inning, keyed by RBI singles off the bats of Erin O'Leary and Meghan Van Meter and a one-run double from Smith.

Juniata traded a pair of runs with York in the sixth inning. Allison Gerlach was issued a two-out walk, and scored on an Eckard double to left center. Stacy Nagy's (Millerton, Pa./Troy) base hit to left field was mishandled by the Spartan leftfielder, allowing Eckard to score from second. 

Eagle starter Stacy Nagy pitched three-and-two-thirds innings, allowing eight earned runs on 12 hits on her way to her first loss of the season. She was lifted with two outs in the fourth inning, with Alyssa Erb (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg) coming on in relief to finish the fourth and pitch the remaining two innings. Erb allowed two earned runs on three hits.

York's Brittany Therres picked up the win, after entering the game in the second inning with the game tied and one runner aboard. Therres fanned three Eagles and scattered six hits over her five-and-two-thirds innings in the circle, and improved her record to 12-0.

Stacy Nagy went 4-for-4 at the plate, while Eckard and Caley McCool (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) each logged a pair of hits. Allison Gerlach, Amanda Gerlach (Mesa, Ariz./Marcos de Niza), and Rachel Nagy (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) each had one hit. Amanda Gerlach and Eckard logged two runs batted in apiece.

Erb was roughed up in Juniata's four-inning loss in game one, as York pounded out 12 runs, nine earned, on 12 hits with five walks and three strikeouts.

The Spartans put up three runs in both the first and second innings, before effectively putting the game out of reach with a six-run third inning. Van Meter plated two runs with a two-out single through the left side with bases loaded, and Kristen Gray doubled down the right field line later in the inning to force three more Spartans runs across the plate.

Therres struck out three Juniata batters in her five complete innings of work, picking up her first win of the day. She retired in the side in the second through fifth innings, picking up some defensive help in the fourth as Rachel Nagy from thrown out at second trying to stretch a single.

Nagy's single in the fourth was one of only two Eagle hits in the game. Eckard led off the game with a single and was sacrificed over to second by Stacy Nagy, but Juniata was unable to bring her home for the run.

The Eagles return to the diamond on Thursday, March 25, when Juniata travels to Latrobe, Pa., to face Saint Vincent College. First pitch of game one of the doubleheader is slated for 3:00 p.m.

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