HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Juniata College softball was unable to capitalize on its scoring opportunities against Elizabethtown College, dropping both halves of a doubleheader to the Blue Jays, 2-0 and 8-0 in five innings, Wednesday afternoon at Weaver Park Field.

Juniata (7-11) twice had two runners at first and second with two outs in game one, but was unable to drive in a run either time.

Elizabethtown (14-8) produced all its runs in the fifth, when Lauren Lundquist drew a walk and Elly McCarthy reached on a double and both were plated on Jessica White's single into center field.

Eagle starter Kelsea Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro) scattered seven hits and fanned nine Blue Jay batters over the complete game seven-inning outing, falling to 5-5 with the loss. Elizabethtown starter Julie Sebastian yielded just four hits while striking out three Juniata batters.

Trailing 8-0 in the bottom of the fifth in game two, Juniata had a chance to avoid the shortened game by loading up the bases with one out. Katie Schroeder (Kempton, Pa./Kutztown) led off the frame with a walk, and Erin Francis (Parkton, Md./Hereford) and Rachel Smith (Martinsburg, Pa.) followed suit with bases on balls of their own.

However a strikeout and grounder to short got the Blue Jays out of the jam, prematurely halting the game after five innings.

Elizabethtown put up a single run in the first and added two more in the second, before putting the game away with a five-run uprising in the fourth inning.  Lindsey Cooper had one of the two big hits in the inning with a three-run double down the left field line, while McCarthy smacked a two-run home run to left field later in the inning.

Smith went all five innings in the circle for the Eagles, allowing eight runs on eight hits with two walks and two strikeouts. E-town starter Justyna Pepkowski also pitched all five innings, holding the Eagles to three hits with six strikeouts.

Robertson led Juniata at the plate with a 3-for-6 day, including a pair of hits in game two. Smith had the lone extra-base hit for Juniata, with a double to left-center in the third inning.

Juniata continues its home stand this Saturday, March 31, when it hosts Drew University in a Landmark Conference doubleheader.  First pitch at Weaver Park Field is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. 

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