JESSUP, Pa. – Juniata College softball was held to just four hits over both ends of a Landmark Conference doubleheader at the University of Scranton, falling to the Lady Royals, 9-0 and 8-0, at the Jessup Youth Sports Complex.

Juniata (8-14, 1-5 Landmark) yielded two runs to Scranton in the second inning of game two of the doubleheader, when Caitlin McHenry belted a two-run homer.  The Lady Royals padded their lead with four runs in the fifth inning, four of those on two-run singles by Kelly Zaccheo and McHenry. 

Scranton plated two more runs in the sixth, the second run crossing on a two-out error at third by Juniata, bringing the game to a premature end under the mercy rule.

The Eagles picked up hits on Paige Robertson's (Altoona, Pa./Altoona Area) single in the third inning, which allowed Jen Ashcraft (Bellefonte, Pa./State College Area) to get as far as third base. Rachel Smith (Martinsburg, Pa.) popped up to third base for the third out, stranding Ashcraft at third and allowing Scranton to get out of the jam.

Smith had Juniata's only other hit of the contest, a two-out double with the bases empty in the sixth inning.

Kelsea Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) went five-and-two-thirds innings in the circle for Juniata, allowing eight runs, only three of which were earned, with five strikeouts.  Christine Capalbo fanned seven Eagles in the two-hit complete game win, improving her record to 10-0 on the season.

Game one of the twinbill ended after Juniata was unable to cut into Scranton's 9-0 lead in the top of the fifth, halting the game under the mercy rule.

The Lady Royals plated four runs in the bottom of the first inning, two of those crossing on McHenry's one-out single. Scranton tacked on a single run in the bottom of the third on a Samantha Boccolini RBI double, and closed out the scoring with a four-run fourth inning. McHenry doubled home one run, while Boccolini plated a pair with a single.

Juniata's best chance to break the shutout was in the fourth, when Meghan Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) got aboard with a one-out double. She advanced to third on a Kelsea Decker single, but had to hold at third base on Steph Frith's (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) grounder to third. Another ground out ended the inning, leaving Meghan Decker stranded at third.

Kelsea Decker got the start for the Eagles in the circle, allowing five runs, four earned, on five hits with four walks in three complete innings of work. Lydia Gorba (Portage, Pa./Portage Area) came on in the fourth inning in relief, yielding four runs on four hits and a walk. 

Juniata returns to the diamond at Weaver Park Field on Wednesday, April 11, when it hosts Lycoming College in a non-conference doubleheader. First pitch of the twinbill is at 3:00 p.m.

-30-