ELIZABETHTOWN, PA- Holly Bettinger (Hummelstown, PA/Lower Dauphin) hit a grand slam to give Juniata a 6-4 lead in the seventh inning but host Elizabethtown responded with three runs to win 7-6 on Saturday afternoon. It was Bettinger's first grand slam of her career.
The Eagles led 2-0 in the first inning. Paige Dennison (East Berlin, PA/Bermudian Springs) led off with a double and then stole third base. Brooke Walls' (Mifflinburg, PA/Mifflinburg) single scored Dennison. Alicia Regnault (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater Raritan) walked and after Lindsey Kosicki (Patton, PA/Cambria Heights) fouled out to third, Walls stole third while Regnault took second. Bettinger then struck out swinging. Walls scored on a wild pitch and Ammerman lined out to end the inning.
A four-run third inning put E-Town ahead 4-2. The score remained that way until Bettinger's homer to left centerfield regained the lead for the Eagles in the seventh. In the bottom portion of the inning, Jessica White hit a two-run homer to tie the game up. Two batters got on base and the Blue Jays had runners at the corners. Kelsey Brown hit a fly out to right field that scored Kaylee Werner and Elizabethtown walked off as winners.
Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, PA/Annville-Cleona) went 6.1 innings and gave up 12 hits, seven runs (four earned) and two walks. She went 1-for-3 at the plate.
Walls finished 3-for-4 with a double, two runs scored, and a RBI. Bettinger went 2-for-4 with her homer, one run scored, and four RBIs. Dennison batted 1-for-3 with a double and two runs scored. Katie Schroeder (Kempton, PA/Kutztown) was 1-for-3 with a double.
In the second game, the Eagles led 1-0 in the third inning but a six-run E-Town fourth inning did the damage as the Blue Jays won 8-1. E-Town pitcher Laura Tomasetti was dominant as she only gave up three hits and struck out eight Eagles batters.
Bettinger lasted four innings and surrendered 11 hits, six earned runs, one walk, and struck out two. Walls came in for two innings of work and gave up four hits and two unearned runs.
Juniata (6-14, 2-4 Landmark) returns to action on Tuesday on the road against Penn State Altoona. Game 1 of the doubleheader will be at 3 p.m. with the second one starting around 5 p.m.
