(Posted April 6, 2006)

Juniata 2, Saint Vincent 0
Saint Vincent 2, Juniata 0

LATROBE, Pa. ? The Juniata College softball team got a pair of stellar pitching performances and produced enough timely offense to claim a doubleheader split in non-conference doubleheader action against Saint Vincent Thursday afternoon. Juniata earned a 2-0 win in game one, but then fell by a 2-0 score in game two. The split moved the Eagles record to 9-17 on the year.

Despite being limited to two hits in the first game, one of the hits was a two-run home run from Liz Schmitt (H Frank Carey/Franklin Square, N.Y.) that gave Juniata a 2-0 lead in the top of the fourth.

That was all the offense Juniata starter Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union) needed as she tossed a complete-game one-hitter to earn her sixth victory of the season.

The biggest threat from the home team came in the bottom of the first. A pair of infield errors put runners at second and third with two outs. But Hobbs induced a pop-out in the infield to get out of the jam.

Juniata then put the only runs of the game on the board in the fourth. With one out Tara Carl (Otto-Eldred/Duke Center) was hit by a pitch. Schmitt then followed with her second homer of the season to give Juniata a 2-0 lead.

The home team threatened to cut into the lead in the bottom of the inning. A single and a walk again put two runners on base with two outs but Hobbs again got out of the jam to preserve the lead.

The senior hurler allowed just one base runner over the final three innings. She struck out three in the game.

Saint Vincent hurler Lesa Bauer was nearly as sharp as Hobbs as she surrendered just two hits and the two runs while fanning 12 batters over seven innings.

In game two, Saint Vincent came out on the positive side of a pitcher?s duel as they earned the 2-0 win.

Ashley Whipkey held Juniata to just two hits and no runs over seven innings while striking out six. That was enough to out-duel Juniata pitcher Lizzi Bartosik (Penn/Granger, Ind.) who scattered seven hits over six innings while allowing two runs.

The Eagles had two base runners in the game, as both Hobbs and Gabie Benson (Mount Union/McVeytown) each had singles in the game. But neither runner made it past second base.

After three scoreless innings, Saint Vincent got on the board with a run in the fourth. An RBI double from Erin Leonard brought in the first run of the game. The home team added another run in the sixth as Leonard added an RBI single.

The Eagles will be back in action on Saturday with a conference doubleheader at Messiah.

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