WINTER GARDEN, FL- Juniata softball dropped a pair of games on Wednesday. In game 1, the Eagles lost an eight inning battle to Roger Williams, 7-5. Game 2 went to Emerson, 16-8 in five innings.
Against the Hawks, Chrisi Lerchen (Annville ,PA/Annville-Cleona) went the distance and gave up 12 hits, seven runs (five earned), two walks and struck out three.
Roger Williams scored three times in the top of the second to go ahead 3-0. The Eagles got on back in the bottom half of the inning when Brooke Walls' single scored Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, PA/Juniata Valley).
The Eagles tacked on another run when Paige Dennison (East Berlin, PA/Bermudin Springs) tripled to score Katie Schroeder (Kempton, PA/Kutztown) with just one out in the bottom of the third. Juniata failed to bring any other runners around as Alicia Regnault (Bridgewater, NY/Bridgewater Raritan) grounded out and Lindsey Kosicki (Patton, PA/Cambria Heights) struck out swinging.
It was 4-2 in the Hawk's favor going into the fifth inning. JC was able to push across two runs to tie it up at 4-4. The Eagles went ahead in the sixth when Schroeder reached first base on an error by the Roger Williams second baseman that allowed Dennison to score.
The JC lead was brief as Roger Williams scored in the following off an error by Ammerman. The Hawks added two more runs in the eighth to go ahead by two.
The Eagles had a chance to come back in the eighth inning. With Ammerman placed at second base, Juniata hit two straight fly outs. Brooke Ridenour (Thurmont, MD/Catoctin) then singled and advanced to second on the throw, which allowed Ammerman to advance to third. The rally ended when Ali Baney (State College, PA/State College Area) grounded out to end the inning.
Schroeder went 2-for-4 at the plate with a triple, two runs scored, and an RBI. Dennison was 1-for-3 with a triple, run scored, and a RBI.
Against the Lions, Emerson jumped on the Eagles with a five-run first and did further damage with a nine-run fourth to take the game. Along with the 16 runs given up, Eagles pitchers gave up 10 hits and walked 11.
Despite falling behind 6-1, Juniata was able to half its deficit with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Emerson scored once in the bottom of the third but the Eagles would again make it a two-run game with two scores. That was as close as Juniata would get as the Lions blew open the game with their nine-run inning.
Natalya Sizdahkhani (Gaithersburg, MD/Quince Orchard) shined for JC at the plate as she hit 3-for-3 with a double, triple, and four RBIs. Schroeder was 2-for-3 with a run scored and a RBI.
After an off day on Thursday, the Eagles return to field for a pair of games as they conclude their Florida trip. Juniata plays Bethany (WV) on Friday at 1 p.m. followed by Stockton at 3 p.m.
