SCRANTON, Pa.- The Juniata softball team picked up a pair of Landmark Conference victories on the road as they swept the University of Scranton, 6-2 and 6-5 (eight innings), Saturday afternoon at Magis Field.
In game one, Alex Douglass led off with a single through the left side. Kassandra Roush laid down a sacrifice bunt to get her to second before Claire Thomas bopped a double to right center. Alison Superka was hit by a pitch. Two batters later, Morgan Brumbaugh's two-run homer to center put JC up 3-0.
Maryn Swank carved through the Royal hitters, only allowing one hit through three innings.
The Eagles drove in a run in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings to extend the lead to six.
The Royals got two back in the bottom of the sixth, but Gracie Ruch went 1-2-3 in the seventh to seal JC's victory.
Swank earned the run as she went five innings, allowing two runs on five hits with two strikeouts. Ruch threw two innings and allowed one hit. Douglass was 3-4 with three runs scored, while Thomas was 2-4 with a double and an RBI.
The Royals struck first in game two, scoring once on a fielder's choice.
Brumbaugh gave the Eagles the lead in the top of the second with a two-run double to right center that scored Caleigh Love and Superka.
The Royals tied the game in the third on an RBI single to left. The teams traded zeros in the fourth before a two-run Royal home run in the fifth put the Eagles behind.
Superka led off the sixth with a single through the right side, and Abby John entered to pitch run for her. Love singled through the left side, and Brumbaugh cleared the bases with a double down the left-field line. The following two batters were retired before Jessie Hunt slashed a double to right to make it 5-4.
The Royals tied things up in the bottom half of the inning.
Neither team could manufacture a run in the seventh, so it was off to extra innings.
Brumbaugh blasted a triple down the right field line, and a throwing error by the third baseman allowed Reagan Goldsmith to reach safely while Brumbaugh scored.
That one run provided the difference as Isabella Countryman navigated the bottom half of the inning to get the win. She threw four innings in relief, allowing one run on five hits with a walk and a strikeout.
Brumbaugh was a menace at the plate, going 4-4 with four RBI, three doubles, and a triple.
Juniata is now 8-4 in Landmark Conference play, tying the program record for conference wins in a season. The 2009 and the 2003 teams won eight conference games as well, with the 2003 team competing in the MAC Commonwealth.
Juniata will travel to take on Lycoming on Wednesday at 3:00.
