(Posted April 10, 2005)

Lebanon Valley 5, Juniata 2
Lebanon Valley 5, Juniata 4

Annville, Pa. ? The Juniata College team held an early lead in game one, and put together a late rally in game two, but were unable to claim wins in either game as the Eagles dropped a 5-2, and a 5-4 decision in doubleheader action against Commonwealth foe Lebanon Valley in Annville on Sunday. The losses dropped Juniata to 11-11-1 overall and 3-5 in the Commonwealth Conference, while Lebanon Valley improved to 16-4 and 4-0 in conference play.

The Eagles struck first in game one, jumping out to a 2-0 lead with a pair of runs in the top of the third. Kim Wagner (Middletown/Middletown) and Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union) led off the frame with a pair of bunt singles. Then after a fielder?s choice retired Wagner at the plate, Abby Sener (Donegal/Marietta) cleared the bases with a triple.

But those were the final runs that Juniata would score against Lebanon Valley hurler Jenn Roberts. The Eagles had at least one runner on base in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, but could not add to its tally.

The home team then broke through against Hobbs with three runs in the fourth, and then another two in the fifth. An RBI double from Melissa Ulrich drove in the first run, and a pair of Juniata errors led to two unearned tallies as the home team took a 3-2 lead in the fourth. Roberts then helped her own cause in the fifth which plated to runs and gave Lebanon Valley some insurance runs.

Hobbs was tagged with her fourth loss of the season, as she went all six innings, allowing seven hits and five runs, but just three earned. Hobbs and Wagner each had a pair of hits in the game and scored a run, while Julie Hatfield (Southern Cayuga/Scipio Center, N.Y.) also posted a pair of hits.

In game two, the Flying Dutchmen steadily built a 5-0 lead by scoring one in the first, two in the third, and two in the fourth. All five runs came of Eagle starter Jessica Darrow (Wellsboro/Wellsboro). Lizzie Bartosik (Penn/Granger, In.) made the final out in the fourth and then pitched the 2 1-3 innings, allowing just one hit.

Juniata pounded out six hits in the first six innings, but couldn?t push any runs home against Lebanon Valley starter Kelly O?Toole. But Juniata then mounted a comeback in the top of the seventh. With one out, Marcie White (Central Dauphin East/Dauphin), Wagner and Hobbs recorded three-straight singles to load the bases. Leann Leymeister (Blue Mountain/Orwigsburg) and Allison D?Ambrosia (State College/Boalsburg) followed with an RBI single apiece to keep the bases loaded and cut the lead to 5-2. O?Toole induced an infield pop-out for out number two. Juniata then cut the lead to one with a two-RBI double from Danielle Buzin (Central Bucks East/Jamison). Lebanon Valley then called on Roberts to try and close out the game, and she forced a fly-out to centerfield to end the contest.

Hobbs was 3-for-4 in the game for Juniata, while Wagner, Leymeister, D?Ambrosia and Buzin all had a pair of hits.

Juniata will return to action on Tuesday with a non-conference doubleheader against non-conference foe Lycoming.

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