HUNTINGDON, Pa.- The Juniata baseball team held a 3-2 lead through three innings, but three runs given up in the top of the fourth inning became their undoing as they never made up the deficit in a 9-6 defeat to Chatham University on Wednesday.
The 3-4-5 hitters combined for nine of Juniata's 13 hits on the day, as Michael Warren went 3-for-5 with two doubles, Jackson Cunnane went 2-for-5 with a pair of singles, and Evan Mock leveled a single-game career high for hits and RBI in a single game going 4-for-5 with a triple, four RBI, and a stolen base.
Connor Rohm got the start for Juniata and made it through four innings with five earned runs, ten hits, one walk, and three strikeouts. Blake Magill and Nic Flaherty each pitched a shutout inning of relief with a pair of strikeouts each. The Juniata bullpen totaled seven strikeouts across five innings of service.
The Cougars were quick to open the scoring column with a single, double, and sacrifice fly from the first three batters. With a runner in scoring position, Rohm produced a flyout and a strike with the batter caught looking. Warren doubled with two outs in the bottom of the first, but the Eagles could not bat him in.
Chatham managed one single in the second, while Juniata leveled the scoreline via Mock's leadoff single. He promptly stole second, made use of a wild pitch to get to third, and scored on a Joey Allegrini sacrifice fly to right field.
Chatham got one run in the third, started with a double and bunt single. A fielder's choice scored the run, and Chatham got one more runner aboard with a one-out single. With runners on first and second base, Rohm struck out the next two batters.
The Eagles reclaimed the lead in the third with a pair of runs on a Mock single to left field. Beard started the frame with a single, then a pair of singles from Warren and Cunnane loaded the bases for Mock, who scored the two runs. A flyout ended the inning.
The lead evaporated in moments as the Cougars opened the fourth with a solo shot to left field. A double, single, double sequence followed to score one more, while a one-out sacrifice fly scored the third run. A walk put runners at the corners, then a fielder's choice out at second ended the inning with Chatham up 5-3. Juniata stranded two runners in the bottom half following singles from Jace Irvin and Dakotah Snyder, as Corey Daniels made solid two-out contact on a line-out right to the shortstop.
Chatham added one more in an inning that saw three walks, including a one-out bases-loaded walk that forced a run across the plate. Ari Lonstein then struck out the next two batters to escape the jam.
Juniata made it 6-4 on a two-out rally started by a Mock triple to left field. Allegrini then hit an infield single back to the pitcher that Mock was unable to advance on. An error on a groundball to the shortstop scored Mock before the inning ended on a strikeout.
Neither side got a runner aboard in the sixth inning, while Juniata got one back in the seventh for a 6-5 game. Warren doubled to open the inning, then advanced on a balk. Chatham took the sure out at first on a groundball to third to allow Warren to score.
The Cougars extended their lead in the eighth, making use of a leadoff single and a steal of second base. With two outs, a double down the lead allowed them to make it a two-run game. Juniata got one runner aboard with a walk in the eighth, although a popout ended the inning.
Chatham cushioned their lead with two runs in the ninth to make it a 9-5 scoreline. A sequence of a single, triple, and three more singles scored two runs and loaded the bases with one out before a weak groundball to the shortstop was turned for a double play to end the ninth.
Daniels walked to open the ninth, and he advanced to third on a one-out single that saw Cunnane hit a weak ground ball past the third baseman. The left fielder threw to third base, with Daniels beating the throw, but the third baseman fired to second base to catch Cunnane trying to stretch it to a double for the second out of the inning. Mock singled to right field to score Daniels, then a popout ended the contest.
Juniata is slated for three games at Langdon-Goodale Field against Moravian University on Saturday and Sunday. They play two on Saturday, with the first pitch of game one scheduled for noon.
