SCRANTON, Pa. - The Juniata dropped a pair of high-scoring games against Scranton, who completed a series sweep with a 16-5 win in game one of the day and a 15-10 victory in game two.
The Juniata offense was led by Joey Woodrow (2-for-4, 1 2B, 2 RBI) and David Beard (1-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 3B) in game one, while Dakotah Snyder and Connor Meisner also contributed with a pair of singles each.
Chase Alessandroni lasted four and two-thirds innings and was tagged for six earned runs, seven hits, two walks, and five strikeouts.
The Royal offense was efficient in their offense approach in game one, totaling 16 runs on 17 hits that included five doubles and a home run.
Each side managed a single baserunner in the first two innings, while Scranton opened scoring in the contest with three runs in the third inning in an inning with two singles, a double, a Juniata error, and a hit batter. They got one more run in the fourth inning, making use of a leadoff single and a sacrifice bunt to score the runner from second on a one-out single. They got two runners aboard before Alessandroni struck out the next two batters.
Juniata had a multi-hit inning for the first time of the day in the fifth inning, getting runners to second and third with two outs, but they were unable to score a run. Scranton again was efficient in their small ball in the fifth inning, getting the first two runners aboard with a walk and a hit batter. A sacrifice bunt moved the runners forward, and both runners would score following a sacrifice fly and a single to left field to make it a 6-0 game.
All five Juniata runs came in a chaotic fifth inning as they got back within one. Snyder singled to start and then got to second on a wild pitch. Corey Daniels then singled to score Snyder, followed by Evan Mock being hit. Woodrow then doubled to left field to clear the bases and put two on the board. Meisner singled, then Beard tripled to yet again add a pair of runs to the Eagles' total. Scranton struck out the next two batters.
Scranton's lone run in the sixth inning came via an inside-the-park home run to go ahead 7-5. They tacked on two more in the seventh inning utilizing two hits, a walk, a Juniata error, and a sacrifice bunt. The Royals put the game away with a monstrous seven-run eighth inning for the game's 16-5 final scoreline. All runs came with one out in a sequence that saw four of their five doubles in the game.
Juniata loaded the bases in the top of the ninth with a single, fielder's choice, and walk with one out, but Scranton found a strikeout and lineout to end the game.
Juniata fell 16-10 in the second game of the afternoon, again falling to an efficient Scranton offense that scored 15 runs on 16 hits. The Juniata offense saw strong performances from Michael Warren (2-for-2, 2 RBI, 1 3B, 2 BB) and Joey Allegrini (2-for-4, 2 RBI, 1 BB) in the second game.
Robbie Pliszka got the start in the second game of the day but made it through just three innings with four earned runs, six hits, and two walks.
The Eagles struck for their first lead of the afternoon as Warren singled up the middle to make the most of Corey Daniels' walk and steal of second base. Scranton went down in order in the bottom half of the inning, but they leveled the scoreline with three straight one-out singles in the second inning. Juniata escaped the second inning with a groundout to the first baseman and a Scranton runner trapped in a rundown between third and home.
Juniata briefly took the lead with one more run in the third inning. Daniels singled, and Mock was hit for the second consecutive game. Daniels soon scored as a wild pitch and an errant throw from the catcher trying to get Mock at second let Daniels coast home.
Scranton was rewarded for two one-out singles with a three-run home run to claim a 4-2 advantage through three innings and force Juniata into their bullpen in the bottom of the fourth.
Juniata persisted in their effort in the fourth inning, getting a run back, scoring Allegrini from third base on an infield error following his steal of third base. Unfortunately, Scranton put two more runs on the board in a one-out sequence with two walks, a single, and a runners-on-the-corners double steal as the runner on third scored following a throw to second base.
Juniata made it 7-5 in the fifth inning, as Mock reached on an infield error and Warren tripled to the right-center gap to score one. Beard hit an infield groundball to the shortstop to score Warren from third. Scranton added one on another effective inning of small ball. The opening runner singled then stole second, followed by a two-out single to left field for an 8-5 lead.
Scranton struck for three runs in the sixth inning with no hits in an inning with three hit batters, a Juniata error, and a walk.
Juniata responded with a four-run seventh inning to make it a 10-9 ballgame. Two singles and a walk loaded the bases with one out; then, a wild pitch scored one run. Beard then reloaded the bases with a walk, followed by an Allegrini single to right field to score two. The bases were loaded one more, and another wild pitch scored one more run before a groundout ended the inning.
Scranton staked their claim for victory with four runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth. The four-run seventh inning saw them hit double and three singles, with Juniata's third error of the day included.
The Eagles entered the top of the ninth down six, but they showed life, getting the bases full with one out via two walks and a hit batter. Another Scranton wild pitch scored a run, followed by Quigley walking to load the bases again with two outs. A popout from the next hitter ended the game.
Juniata has a mid-week doubleheader on Wednesday at Penn State Altoona to try and snap a 13-game losing streak. The first pitch of game one is slated for 1:00 pm at the Stewart Athletic Field.
