CLERMONT, Fla. – The Juniata softball team concluded their 2016 Spring Break trip with a split against Lancaster Bible (4-1, W) and Clarkson (5-2, L) Friday night.
Game One – Juniata vs. Lancaster Bible
On the mound for the Eagles in game one was Sarah Sotelo (Fairfax, Va. / Paul VI Catholic). Sotelo tossed her first complete game of her collegiate career, struck out three batters and held the Chargers without an earned run.
Lancaster Bible scored one unearned run in the top of the first and would be held scoreless the remainder of the game.
Juniata evened the score in the bottom of the third when Holly Bettinger (Hummelstown, Pa. / Lower Dauphin) blasted a homerun out to center field. The Eagles total four homers on the season.
JC would take the lead with a three-run inning in the bottom of the fourth.
Lindsey Kosicki (Patton, Pa. / Cambria Heights) drew a walk to start the inning. Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) safely took first on a throwing error by the pitcher, while Kosicki advanced to third.
Kosicki found herself in a rundown at home moments later. An error on the catcher allowed her to score the run and give the Eagles a one-run advantage.
Natalya Sizdahkhani (Gaithersburg, MD / Quince Orchard) doubled to right field to bring in Ammerman with two outs. A single to right field from Brooke Walls (Mifflinburg, Pa. / Mifflinburg) brought Sizdahkhani home to make it 4-1 Juniata.
Game Two – Juniata vs. Clarkson
The Golden Knights got on board in the first inning and would play tough defense against the Eagles.
An error on the first baseman kept Ammerman safe at first while Carthew crossed the plate.
The Golden Knights would turn a 6-4-3 double play, but not before Dennison picked up the second run for Juniata.
Clarkson fought off a seventh-inning rally from the Eagles to take the victory 5-2.
Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, Pa. / Annville-Cleona) started on the mound for the Eagles and tossed three complete innings. Maddie Garrick (Mechanicsburg, Pa. / Mechanicsburg) came in as relief and struck out four and gave up just one hit in three innings.
The Eagles look ahead to their home opening doubleheader Tues. March 15 against St. Vincent at 3:00 p.m.
