(Posted March 11, 2005)

Juniata 10, Beloit 1
Juniata 5, Beloit 1

Chandler, Ariz. ? The Juniata College baseball team rebounded from its first losses on its spring break trip in resounding fashion as the Eagles swept a doubleheader against Beloit College in Chandler, Ariz. Friday afternoon. Juniata got a pair of solid pitching performances from Darius Reed (Juniata Valley/Alexandria) and Cody Zong (Lewistown/McVeytown) as they claimed a 10-1 win in the first game, and a 5-1 victory in game two. The wins improved Juniata to 8-3 on the season.

Reed took the ball in the first game for the Eagles and earned his second win of the season as he pitched a solid 5 2-3 innings allowing eight hits and one run with seven strikeouts. Brian Markovich (Northern Cambria/Northern Cambria) pitched the final 1 2-3 innings and had three strikeouts to secure the win.

Juniata took the lead with three runs in the bottom of the second. Will Russell (Tyrone/Tyrone) tripled to start the frame then came home to put Juniata in front 1-0. An RBI single from Shawn McDonald (Bishop Canevin/Gibsonia) brought home Jesse Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) for the second run, and an infielder grounder then scored McDonald.

After Beloit responded with one run in the top of the fourth, Juniata rushed out to an insurmountable 7-1 lead with four runs in the third. McDonald punched an RBI single for the first run of the frame and his second RBI of the game. After Will Russell (Tyrone/Tyrone) came home on a balk Paul Evans (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) followed with a single that plated two runs and gave the Eagles the 7-1 lead.

Juniata then added two runs in the fourth and one run in the sixth to claim the final margin. Russell finished the game 3-for-3 with three runs scored and an RBI. McDonald added two hits, two runs and two RBI in the game. Evans drove in a team-high four runs for the Blue and Gold.

In game two the story was Juniata junior hurler Cody Zong (Lewistown/McVeytown). Zong went all seven innings for the Eagles, scattering four hits while striking out five.

The Eagles gave Zong all the offensive support he needed when they scored one run in the third then added another two in the fourth. After Joe Donohoe (Northern Lehigh/Slatington) opened the third with a double, he moved to third on a balk and then came home on a sacrifice fly from David Saintz (Titusville/Titusville). In the third Leonard and Dan DeRosa (Kingston/Kingston, N.Y.) each had RBI singles as Russell and Leonard each crossed the plate.

Saintz added an unearned run for Juniata in the top of the fifth. Beloit scored its lone run in the bottom of the fifth, and then Saintz scored Juniata?s final run when he led off the seventh with a triple, and came home on a single from Jason Enoch (Hempfield/Landisville).

Leonard and Enoch both had a pair of hits for Juniata, with each also adding an RBI.

Juniata will close action on its spring break trip on Saturday when the Eagles will take on DeSales University for the second time on the trip.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.