SCRANTON, Pa.- The Juniata baseball team was on the wrong side of a 24-14 scoreline in a series-opening defeat to Landmark Conference opponent Scranton.
Michael Warren and Dakotah Snyder each had stellar days offensively despite the defeat; Warren went 4-for-6 with four doubles and four RBI, while Snyder was a home run shy of the cycle, going 3-for-6 with a double, triple, and four RBI. Warren's four doubles are the most doubles in a single game in program history.
Evan Mock (1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB) and Connor Meisner also had three hits apiece, while Matthew Quigley went 2-for-4 with two RBI, as the Juniata offense combined for 19 hits on the day, a new season high.
Juniata pitching found no escape for a persistent Royals offense, only escaping the first inning without conceding a run while hitting seven batters. Scranton's Corey Zientek completed the cycle with an eighth-inning double.
Juniata managed one hit in the first, while Scranton was unable to capitalize on a pair of inning-opening singles.
The Eagles went down in order in the second inning, followed by a four-run second for the Royals in an inning that saw four singles, three hit batsmen, and a walk before a lineout got Juniata out of a bases-loaded scenario.
Another quick Juniata inning in the third saw the biggest Scranton inning of the game as five runs put them ahead 9-0 in an inning with six hits, including a two-run home run to center.
Juniata got back within five runs via a four-run fourth inning. Mock opened the inning by initiating a back-to-back-to-back double sequence that included Warren and Joey Woodrow. Meisner then singled to left to get runners on the corners, followed by a Caden Collins sacrifice fly. Meisner Stole second and then scored on a Quigley single to end scoring. A solo Scranton home run in the fourth made it 10-4.
Juniata had one hit in the fifth and then conceded three in the fifth. The sixth saw another four-run inning from Juniata to make it a 13-7 scoreline. Meisner opened the inning with a single, then Jace Irvin doubled to get a pair of runners in scoring position. A Quigley single scored one; then a Snyder triple cleared the bases. Mock was hit to get aboard, and a steal attempt forced an errant throw from the Scranton catcher to allow Snyder to cruise home.
Unfortunately, Scranton neutralized the Juniata sixth inning with four runs of their own that included a two-run homer to left field. Scranton scored three more runs in the seventh, going ahead 20-8 on five hits that included a triple and a double.
A Mock two-out runners-on-the-corners single scored one run in the eighth inning, followed by a Warren double for two more Juniata runs. The final hitting frame for Scranton saw four more runs via two hit batters and three doubles.
The Eagles collected four runs with two outs following a brief weather delay for the game's 24-14 final score. Snyder made the most of two runners in scoring position with a single to right field. Warren doubled with the bases load, but the runner from first was out trying to stretch to home on an accurate throw from the relay man to end the game.
The Eagles return to Volpe Field tomorrow for the final two games in the series. The first pitch of game one is slated for noon.
