GETTYSBURG, Pa.- The Juniata baseball team returned to their winning ways with a 15-8 victory over Gettysburg College on Thursday afternoon. The 15-run performance is the Eagles highest total in a game so far this season.
The scoring was back and forth in the early innings, with Juniata scoring two runs in the top of the first and Gettysburg scoring one in the bottom of the inning. The Bullets would then tack on two more in the bottom of the second to take a 3-2 lead going into the third. Reigning Landmark Player of the Year Isaac Maclay (Belleville, Pa. / Mifflin County) did not allow the lead to stand for long, launching a solo home run in the top of the third to tie the game back up at three apiece. The Eagles then surged back into the lead with four runs in the top of the fourth inning. They added one run in both the top of the sixth and top of the seventh innings, before Gettysburg finally answered back with two in the bottom of the seventh. Juniata would score six runs in the bottom of the eighth to reassert their dominance and put the game well out of reach, despite a late comeback effort from the Bullets in the bottom of the ninth.
The Eagles saw offensive contributions throughout the lineup and piled up 17 total hits in the game. Jake Swank (Portage, Pa. / Portage) led the way going a perfect four for four at the plate including a double, scoring three runs and stealing two bases. Junior Evan Mock (McVeytown, Pa. / Mifflin County) continued his dominance at the plate, racking up three hits in four at-bats including two doubles, while tallying three RBIs and scoring a run. Sophomore Eric Soccio (Greensburg, Pa. / Greater Latrobe) also had three hits on the day, with two RBIs and a run also in the box score. Maclay and Joey Allegrini (Hershey, Pa. / Hershey) both had two hits apiece to round out the Eagles' multi-hit performers in the game. Freshman pitcher Sam Hostrander (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport) earned the first win of his collegiate career, allowing only three runs on six hits in his five innings on the mound.
Juniata will have a quick turnaround, with their three-game weekend series hosting Landmark rival Susquehanna beginning with a doubleheader tomorrow. Game one begins at 12:00 PM.
