MADISON, N.J. – The Juniata College softball team split its Landmark Conference opener at Drew Saturday afternoon in the team's first competition since coming back from spring break. Juniata (3-7, 1-1 Landmark) won game one 10-4 before falling 16-0 in game two. Drew is now 10-8 on the season, 2-2 in league play.
Senior Steph Frith (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) went 4-for-4 with three runs in the doubleheader. Freshman Aly Smith (McVeytown, Pa./Mount Union) earned the Eagles win. She struck out five and gave up only three earned runs in her third complete game pitched. Smith now boasts a 2-1 record in her inaugural season.
Game One
The teams remained scoreless through two innings. Frith led off the third with a single to third base and advanced to second on a fielder's choice. Freshman Jasmine Assad (Lambertville, N.J./South Hunterdon Regional) then singled down the left field line, moving Frith to third.
After Assad stole second, junior Rachel Smith (Martinsburg, Pa./Home School) flew out to right and Frith tagged home. Aly Smith then reached on an error by the pitcher and Assad took advantage, hurrying across and giving Juniata the 2-0 lead.
The Eagles tacked on three more runs in the top of the fourth. With one out and one on, freshman Holly Bettinger (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) doubled down the left field line. Frith's second hit of the day advanced the pinch runner to third and the runner scored when the next batter grounded out, safely advancing Frith to third on the play. She would score when Assad singled to right center, putting the Eagles up 5-0.
Drew answered with a run in the bottom of the fourth and two more in fifth. But Juniata's bats came back alive in the top of the sixth.
Sophomore Katie Schroeder (Kempton, Pa./Kutztown) led off with a single to left center. She advanced to second on a fielder's choice and then third on a wild pitch. When Frith walked and then stole second, freshman Brooke Walls (Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg) singled down the left field line, scoring Schroeder and advancing Frith to third.
Walls then stole second and Assad singled down the right field line to score Frith and move Walls to third. Continuing the pattern, Asssad stole second before Rachel Smith doubled down the left field line to score Walls. Ranger starter Laura D'Ornellas then hit Aly Smith to load the bases.
With two outs and the bases loaded, D'Ornellas walked in a run before Schroeder came up again and singled to left center, scoring Aly Smith and putting Juniata ahead 10-3.
The Rangers got a run across in the bottom of the inning, but Juniata held on for the win.
Game Two
Drew's Casey Raggiani kept the Eagles off balance in the batter's box while Drew's offense exploded, putting up 15 runs in the first two innings.
Junior Lydia Gorba (Portage, Pa./Portage) came in to pitch in the third inning and slowed the Rangers down to a crawl. She allowed just one run and struck out one in 2.1 innings on the mound. Frith went 2-for-2 and Rachel Smith and Gorba recorded the only other Eagle hits. Gorba picked up her first double of the year in the loss.
Juniata returns to action on Thursday, April 4 in a doubleheader at La Roche that starts at 3 p.m. The Eagles open at home Saturday, April 6 when they take on Landmark rival Scranton in a doubleheader starting at 1 p.m.
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