CLERMONT, Fla.- The Juniata softball team picked up a pair of wins on day one of The Spring Games tournament after defeating Fredonia, 10-4, and Oberlin, 7-5.
Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) led the Eagles off with a triple to center field to start game one. Ammerman was able to cross the plate off Chrisi Lerchen's (Annville, Pa. / Annville-Cleona) sacrifice fly to center to put JC up 1-0 after the first inning.
The Blue Devils put up a run in the top of the second, but the Eagles were quick to answer back. Jennifer Carthew (New Paris, Pa./Chestnut-Ridge HS) singled to left center and scored off Brooke Ridenour's (Thurmont, Md. / Catoctin) double to left to keep a one run advantage. Fredonia gained another run in the third, but Juniata remained aggressive at the plate to put up two more of their own in the bottom of the inning. Lerchen doubled and advanced to third soon after on a wild pitch, scoring when Alyssa Shedlock (State College, Pa. / State College) popped a two-run homerun over the right field fence.
The Eagles kept their bats alive in the fifth and sixth innings, earning six more runs. In the fifth, Lerchen hit a double to left, advancing to third off Abby Ebright's (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East HS) double down the left field line. Delaney Nevius (Harrisburg, Pa./CD East High School) hit a sacrifice fly to send Lerchen home, and Carthew followed up with a triple for Ebright to cross the plate. Alicia Regnault singled to left field to bring in the third run of the inning. The Blue Devils put two more runs on the board in the sixth, but held to no avail as the Eagles buckled down on defense in the seventh after Molly Ulrich (Homer, N.Y. / Homer Central) hit a triple to center and scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the sixth.
Lerchen went 3-3 with two doubles and a RBI. Ebright went 2-3 with a double and a triple, scoring two runs.
JC kept their momentum up moving into the second game of the day, putting three runs on the board in the top of the first. Lerchen hit her third double of the day to lead off, scoring off a ground ball to the pitcher. Allie Baney (State College, Pa./State College Area) reached first on an error by the center fielder, scoring Shedlock and Carthew.
In the third inning, Shedlock singled in the third, stealing second and advancing to third on Ebright's infield single. Ebright stole second and Shedlock scored on the throw, putting the Eagles up 4-0. JC gave up a two-run homerun in the bottom of the inning and the Yeowomen scored two more in the fourth, tying the score at 4-4.
The Eagles went ahead again in the fifth, Carthew starting off the inning with a single and scoring on a wild pitch after Shedlock's double to center. In the top of the sixth inning, Ulrich singled and Alicia Regnault (Bridgewater, N.J. / Bridgewater Raritan) scored to go up 7-5. JC held the Yeowomen in the seventh to snag the victory.
Shedlock went 3-3 with a double, scoring three.
The Eagles will play tomorow against Babson at 9:00AM and Wisconsin-Oshkosh at 11:30AM.