BETHLEHEM, Pa.- The Juniata softball team lost twice as they bowed out of the Landmark Conference Tournament, losing to the Catholic University of America 3-1 and Lycoming College 8-0 (five innings), Saturday afternoon at Blue and Grey Field on the campus of Moravian University.
Maryn Swank started in the circle for JC in the first game against Catholic and sat down the first six batters she faced. A walk in the third set the table for a Catholic RBI double, but she escaped the inning, allowing the lone run.
The Eagle offense tied things up in the top half of the fourth, with Morgan Brumbaugh smashing a double to left center. Caleigh Love singled up the middle and drove in Brumbaugh to tie the game.
Swank came out in the sixth after a leadoff double as Gracie Ruch took over. A fly out to center was followed by back-to-back Cardinal singles, with the second driving in two runs.
The Eagles put two runners on in the seventh, Kay Magill walking and Alex Douglass reaching on an infield single, but they couldn't get them across the plate.
Swank went five innings and allowed two runs on six hits with a walk. Ruch went an inning and allowed one run on two hits. Douglass was 3-4, while Brumbaugh was 1-3 with a double and a run scored.
Moravian defeated Lycoming in the other game, so the Eagles and Lycoming faced off at 4:00, with the loser being eliminated from the tournament.
The Warriors came out firing on all cylinders, scoring five runs on four hits in the top of the first.
They added another with an RBI single to center.
The Warrior pitcher was perfect until Dani Berlin singled up the middle in the third with one out.
In the bottom of the fourth, Claire Thomas singled to center, advanced to second and third on a series of wild pitches, but was stranded there.
Lycoming plated two more runs in the top of the fifth to increase their lead to eight. Juniata went 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning, and the game ended.
Juniata finishes the year 18-19, 10-6 in conference play. The 18 wins match last season's win total, while the ten conference wins are the most ever in program history.
