WINCHESTER, Va.- The Juniata softball team split their doubleheader with Shenandoah on Tuesday afternoon, winning the first game 5-1 but falling in the second game by a narrow 2-1 margin. This marks the end of their Spring Break trip, with the team returning home to host Moravian on Saturday, March 15th and begin Landmark Conference play.
Strong pitching from starter Cate Baran (Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone) and a three-run first inning gave the Eagles a platform for victory in game one. Baran would pitch all seven innings, striking out five batters and allowing only one run on six hits. Senior Maya McLeod (San Diego, Calif. / La Jolla Country Day) kicked off the scoring with a two-RBI double in the top of the first before coming home to score courtesy of an RBI single from fellow senior Catherine Miller (Huntingdon, Pa. / Huntingdon). The offense then went quiet until the top of the fifth inning, when McLeod again came up clutch with an RBI single, before Miller again brought her home, this time with a double. Down 5-0, Shenandoah managed to avoid being shut out with a run in the bottom of the seventh, but couldn't manage to complete the comeback effort.
Game two saw the Eagles' bats go silent, with the team going hitless. They worked five walks in the game to produce their baserunners but were otherwise stymied. Miller earned the start in game two, going the distance and giving up only five hits but ultimately taking the loss. She scored the Eagles' lone run on offense in the top of the second inning, reaching base on a walk and eventually reaching home on a groundout RBI by freshman Emily Eutsey (Mount Pleasant, Pa. / Southmoreland). Shenandoah would respond in the bottom of the fourth with a run of their own, and would win the game in the bottom of the seventh after three walks loaded the bases and a passed ball brought home a run.
The Eagles will now prepare for their home opener, hosting reigning Landmark champs and 16th-ranked Moravian in a doubleheader starting at 1:00 PM.
