WASHINGTON, D.C.- The Juniata softball team played its final Landmark Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles were bested by host Catholic 7-2 and 2-1.
The Cardinals took a 2-0 lead on a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice in the second inning. Holly Bettinger (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin) led off the top of the fourth inning for the Eagles with a solo homerun to right centerfield to put JC on the board. She now has 11 career homeruns and is in sole possession of second place on the program's all-time list.
Catholic broke the game open with a five-run fourth inning to increase its lead to 7-1. Juniata added a run in the sixth inning.
Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, Pa./Annville-Cleona) started in the circle for the Eagles going four innings and giving up six hits, seven runs (four earned), and walking two batters. Maddie Garrick (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Mechanicsburg) pitched two scoreless innings and only walked one batter.
Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa./Juniata Valley) finished 3-for-3 at the plate for her forth three-hit game of the season. Bettinger was 2-for-3 with a homerun, one run scored, and one run batted in.
The two teams had a pitcher's battle in the second game. The Cardinals scored once in third and fifth innings to lead 2-0.
Despite being held to just two hits, the Eagles attempted a comeback in the top of the seventh. Abby Ebright (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East) led off with a walk and Bettinger singled to put runners on first and second. An Ammerman groundout moved runners to second and third. Jennifer Carthew's (New Paris, Pa./Chestnut Ridge) groundout held both runners and JC was down to its last out. With Lindsey Kosicki (Patton, Pa./Cambria Heights) at the plate, a wild pitch from Catholic starter Megan Colline scored Ebright and moved pinch runner Amy Chen (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy) to third for the potential tying run. The game ended, however, as Kosicki struck out.
Carthew had her best day on the mound to date in Landmark play as he went six innings and scattered six hits while giving up two runs (one earned) and walking two. She picked up one strikeout.
Juniata will close out its 2016 season at home this Tuesday afternoon when it hosts Pitt-Bradford. First pitch will be at 3:00 p.m.
