ALTOONA, Pa. – The Juniata softball team fought hard but came up just short in a pair of close matchups against Penn State-Altoona on Tuesday. The Eagles fell 3-2 in the opener before a heartbreaking 8-7 walk-off loss in the nightcap.
Game 1: Penn State-Altoona 3, Juniata 2
Juniata struck first, taking a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Jessie Hunt's RBI single, paired with an error in the outfield, allowed Morgan Brumbaugh and Alison Superka to cross the plate. However, Penn State-Altoona answered right back with three runs in the bottom half of the inning.
From there, it became a pitcher's duel, with Rylea Lynch delivering a dominant relief performance. She allowed just one hit over 5.2 scoreless innings, keeping the Eagles within striking distance. Unfortunately, Juniata's offense couldn't break through against Penn State-Altoona's pitchers, who scattered four hits and struck out five to seal the win for the Lions.
Game 2: Penn State-Altoona 8, Juniata 7
The Eagles looked poised for a bounce-back victory after exploding for seven runs in the third inning. Eva Johnson provided the big swing with a two-run triple, while RBI hits from Hunt, Brumbaugh, Magill, and Robuck helped Juniata build a 7-3 advantage.
Penn State-Altoona chipped away, scoring two in the fourth to make it 7-5, but Juniata held the lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. Unfortunately, the Lions mounted a late rally, tying the game on a two-run single before a walk-off hit sealed the Eagles' fate.
Despite the tough losses, Juniata's offense showed resilience, racking up 11 hits in the second game. Johnson led the way with two extra-base hits and two RBIs, while five different Eagles drove in runs.
Juniata (5-15) will look to regroup as they play a doubleheader with Dickinson on Thursday.
