CLERMONT, Fla.- The Juniata softball team defeated Loras, 6-2 and fell to Middlebury, 6-3 to close out The Spring Games Tournament.
At the start of the second inning Chrisi Lerchen (Annville, Pa. / Annville-Cleona) singled to center field. The next batter, Kerigan Ammerman (Alexandria, Pa. / Juniata Valley) was walked, advancing Lerchen to second. Allie Baney (State College, Pa. / State College Area) was next at bat and she was hit by a pitch which adavanced Ammerman and Lerchen. Alicia Regnault (Bridgewater, N.J. / Bridgewater Raritan) double to center field, advancing Baney, Ammerman and Lerchen across home plate to take a 3-0 lead over Loras. In the bottom of the third, Loras crossed home plate, the score now, 3-1.
In the top of the fourth the Eagles brought in two more runs to extend their lead. Lerchen singled to right field and then advanced to third on two wild pitches. Ammerman was walked, stealing second, and Ammerman and Lerchen scored off a wild pitch. Loras got in one more run in the bottom of the fourth, but it was not enough to defeat the Eagles.
The first three innings against Middlebury were scoreless, until the top of the fourth when Middlebury scored three runs getting an early lead on the Eagles. In the bottom of the fourth, the Eagles got on the board after Molly Ulrich (Homer, N.Y. / Homer Central) tripled to center field and then advanced across home plate on a wild pitch. In the top of the sixth, Middlebury scored three more runs, taking a 6-1 lead.
In the bottom of the sixth, Lerchen singled to the shortstop, advancing Ulrich and Ammerman. Lerchen then advanced to second, Ulrich advanced to third, and Ammerman scored on a passed ball. Finally in the bottom of the seventh, Baney reached first on an error by the shortstop. Baney then stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. Next, Baney scored on a wild pitch, with a final score of 6-3, Middlebury.
The Eagles return to action Friday, March 30th as they open conference play against Moravian. The double header is set for 3:00PM and 5:00PM.
