CLERMONT, Fla.- The Juniata softball fell to D'Youville before defeating St. Lawrence, Thursday at The Spring Games Tournament.
Jennifer Carthew (New Paris, Pa. / Chestnut-Ridge HS) was first to score for the Eagles, reaching home after advancing off Alyssa Shedlock's (State College, Pa. / State College) single, a wild pitch, and Abby Ebright's (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East HS) grounder to third. D' Youville was quick to respond, putting up four of their own in the bottom of the inning.
In the top of the second, Juniata got in another run to cut their deficit in half with the score, 4-2 D'Youville. Molly Ulrich (Homer, N.Y. / Homer Central) singled to center and stole second, advancing to third on Alicia Regnault's (Bridgewater, N.J. / Bridgewater Raritan) ground ball to the short stop. Brooke Ridenour (Thurmont, Md. / Catoctin) then singled to left field, allowing Ulrich to cross over home plate.
The Eagles got in two more runs in the top of the fourth after D'Youville had put up one of their own in the bottom of the third. After Ridenour lined out to the short stop, Allie Baney (State College, Pa. / State College Area) reached the bag on an error. Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) walked, both she and Baney scoring on Carthew's big triple down the left field line. Shedlock then reached first on an error by the short stop, advancing Carthew home to tie up the game, 5-5.
The Spartans scored another run in the bottom of the fifth, but JC refused to back down, Baney scoring after Ammerman's sacrifice to the pitcher and Carthew's infield grounder in the top of the sixth. With the score again tied up at 6-6, the Spartans managed to get in one last run in the bottom of the sixth to steal the victory, 7-6.
Carthew went 2-4, with two runs scored and three RBI. Ulrich and Ebright went 2-4.
The Eagles gained momentum in the second game defeating St. Lawrence, 5-4. The Saints were first on the board with three runs, but Juniata answered back with two of their own in the third, narrowing the gap 4-2. Ridenour reached on a fielders choice and Carthew walked, the duo ultimarely scoring on a fielding error in the outfield.
The teams were scoreless through the top of the sixth until the Eagles showed aggression on the basepaths, scoring three to take the game, 5-4. Singles from Regnault and Shedlock alongside a walk and Baney's hit-by-pitch contributed to the Eagles' sixth inning victory.
Regnault went 2-3 while Carthew and Shedlock sent in a combined three RBI.
The Eagles will play three games tomorrow, facing off with Manchester at 9:00AM, Calvin at 11:30AM, and Bowdoin at 2:00PM.
