WASHINGTON, DC.-The Juniata softball team led until the late innings, as The Catholic University of America won game one on a walk off, Saturday afternoon.
In the bottom of the first, Erin Pfeffer (Camp Hill, Pa. / Trinity High School) appeared to be in some trouble as the Cardinals had runners at second and third with one out. She got the next batter to fly out to center and the final batter to ground out to second to avoid any damage.
In the top half of the inning it was the Eagles turn to threaten. Ashley Clark (Saxton, Pa. / Tussey Mountain) led off with a single to right and two batters later Maya McLeod's (San Diego, Calif. / La Jolla Country Day School) singled through the right side. With two outs, Pfeffer singled to right to load the bases, but JC couldn't take advantage as the Catholic pitcher evaded danger.
In the third the Eagles managed to score some runs. Alyssa "Sheddy" Shedlock (State College, Pa. / State College) singled to left and advanced to second on an error by the left fielder. She got to third on Abby Ebright's (Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin East HS) grounder to third. Maggie Peck (Philipsburg, Pa. / Philipsburg Osceola) was hit by a pitch and Clark's . Catherine Miller (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon Area) singled to right, and Peck advanced to third before she scored on a wild pitch as the Eagles led 2-0 after three.
Catholic cut the lead in half with an RBI single to left in the bottom of the fifth. They tied things up with an RBI-double to right.
In the top of the seventh, Shedlock lined a one-out single to right and got to second on a wild pitch. She was thrown out trying to steal third.
Catholic won in the bottom of the eighth on a sacrifice fly to left.
Game two saw the Eagles again get on the board first, as Clark drove Ebright from second with a single to right.
Catholic got hot in the third and fourth innings as they pushed four runs across the plate in the third and another three runs in the fourth to make it 7-1.
The Eagles will return to action at home, Tuesday against Penn State Harrisburg. First pitch is at 2:00.