MIDDLETOWN, Pa.- The Juniata softball team opened 2023 splitting results at Penn State Harrisburg, starting the day with a 10-1 run-rule victory in five innings before falling 2-1 in the eighth inning on a walk-off sacrifice fly in a game that saw just eight total hits. 

Game one saw the Eagles force the run rule in five innings with a 10-1 victory. Cate Baran provided four innings of pitching with eight strikeouts and just one hit, while Alison Superka's home run in the fourth inning ties her for fourth the fifth-most home runs in program history with eight total.  

Superka (2-for-3, 1 RBI) was one of four Juniata players to record two hits in the contest, including Baran (2-for-4, 2 RBIs), Kay Magill (2-for-3, 2 runs), and Jessie Hunt (2-for-3, 2 RBIs), while Emily Eutsey went 1-for-2 with a sacrifice fly RBI. 

Each side went down in order in the first inning, then Abby John relieved Eutsey following a double, stealing third base with one out in the second inning. Caleigh love hit a ball up the middle to score the first run of the contest. Juniata got runners to the corners but was unable to score any more runs. 

The Eagles scored two more in the top of the third in a sequence that saw a one-out fielding error, Baran infield single, a Hunt single to score the first run of the inning, and a Eutsey sacrifice fly to left field. The Lions got their first hit of the contest on a two-out bunt single while an infield error put runners on the corners; Baran struck out the next hitter to escape her only jam. 

Superka opened the fourth with a home run to left field to tie for fifth in program history, then Magill and Goldsmith singled. Alex Douglass sacrifice bunted to advance the runners, and this was followed by a popup. Baran then cleared the bases with a single to left field, advancing to second on the unsuccessful throw home. Hunt scored Baran before a popout ended the inning with Juniata ahead 7-0. 

Baran recorded two more strikeouts in the fourth to end her service with one hit and just two baserunners.  

A Superka double to left with one out set the stage for a three-run inning to clear the run rule threshold. Pinch runner Katie Mace advanced to third on a fielders choice that put runners on the corners, while Mace scored on a passed ball to get to eight runs. Douglas reached on a throwing error on a bunt where one run scored, then Dani Berlin scored the tenth run of the game on a single to right center.  

A single and infield error put two runners aboard to open the fifth, but Gracie Ruch recovered by producing back-to-back fielder's choice plays to get to two outs, although a run scored on the second play. A pitch in the dirt spurred a stolen base attempt by the Lions runner, but a quick snag of the ball and throw to second from Superka ended the game. 

Harrisburg found their opening run in the first on a triple to right, and a Magill single in the third leveled the scoreline, the only runs for each side in regulation. The extra-innings runner on second rule quickly came into effect, as a passed ball in the bottom of the eighth moved the second-base runner to third, and they were scored on a sacrifice fly to center field that just beat the accurate throw home. 

Maryn Swank gave up a run and five hits over six innings with two strikeouts. 

Juniata opened the first with a Berlin single, the only Eagle with multiple hits in the game. A sac bunt and groundout moved her to third before another groundout to the shortstop ended the half-inning. 

Harrisburg opened the first with a single and followed with a one-out triple to right field before getting out on the next two plays. 

The second inning saw Juniata go down in order while Harrisburg got one hitter aboard with a single. Goldsmith opened the third by getting aboard on an infield throwing error followed by a Berlin single. Magill then hit a ball up the middle to score a run before Juniata flew out and grounded out. Juniata was unable to get another runner on base in the contest, while Harrisburg got one runner aboard in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. 

Two straight hit batters opened the bottom of the seventh, marking the end for Swank, who was replaced by Baran. She went on to produce a flyout, strikeout, and groundout to go to extra innings. 

Juniata popped up a bunt attempt to open the eighth, then grounded out to shortstop two straight times to go to the bottom of the inning. A passed ball moved the extra-innings runner to third, followed by a sacrifice fly just deep enough to end the game. 

Baran earned both results today and leaves the first doubleheader 1-1 with no earned runs through five and two-thirds innings. Across the day, the sides gave up only one total walk. 

Juniata plays their next pair of games Saturday with a trip down to Southern Virginia. First pitch of game one is slated for 1:00 pm.