CLERMONT, FL- The Juniata softball team received quality pitching in both of their games on Friday but did not get the run support it needed as it fell 4-3 and 6-5. The losses drop the team's record to 3-5 overall.
Holly Bettinger (Hummelsown, PA/Lower Dauphin) pitched 6.1 innings and gave up 10 hits, four runs (one earned), two walks, and struck out two. Her opponent from Bethany, Kiersten Conwell, went seven innings and surrendered three runs, none of which were earned, and struck out six.
The Eagles scored three times in the top of the second inning but the Bison responded with three runs to knot the game at 3-3. The remained tied until the bottom of the seventh.
Against the Ospreys, Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, PA/Annville-Cleona) went seven innings and gave up eight hits, six runs (three earned), and struck out one. The offense banged out 10 hits to eight for Stockton.
Stockton jumped on the Eagles in the first inning as they led 4-0. Juniata was able to get two runs back in the bottom of the second. The Ospreys got the two runs back to increase their lead to 6-2.
Juniata slowly chipped away at the Osprey lead with a run in the third and fifth innings. Needing to score twice to walk off with the win, JC went down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the seventh.
Lindsey Kosicki (Patton, PA/Cambria Heights) batted 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Bettinger was 1-for-4 with a double. Brooke Ridenour (Thurmont, MD/Catoctin) went 2-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base. Paige Dennison (East Berlin, PA/Bermudian Springs) was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Juniata returns to action next Thursday, March 19, when its hosts Eastern Mennonite in a doubleheader. Game 1 will start at 3 p.m. with Game 2 beginning at 5 p.m.
