(Posted April 29, 2006)

Juniata 3, Albright 2
Albright 3, Juniata 2

READING, Pa. ? In a pair of well-pitched, low-scoring ballgames, the Juniata College softball team closed its season by earning a win in one of the two contests in Commonwealth Conference action against Albright Saturday afternoon. Juniata rallied late to earn a 3-2 win in game one, and then were shut down offensively in game two as Albright claimed the 3-0 win. Juniata closes the season 10-28 overall and 3-11 in conference play. Albright is 13-21 on the season and 10-4 in conference action.

Trailing for most of game one, the Eagles rallied to earn the 3-2 win. Albright got on the board first with one run in the third inning off Juniata starter Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union). Hillary Gary doubled to start the inning and then came home on an RBI groundout to score the first run.

Juniata answered with one run in the fifth, which came with one swing from Liz Schmitt (H. Frank Carey/Franklin Square, N.Y.) who drilled a lead-off home run to tie the score. Juniata then took the lead with a pair of runs in the sixth. Tara Carl (Otto-Eldred/Duke Center) and Hobbs had back-to-back singles to start the inning. Carl came home on a throwing error and Hobbs crossed the plate on a fielder?s choice groundout.

Albright cut into the deficit with a solo home run from Meridith Hippert in the sixth, but that was all Hobbs allowed as she earned her seventh win of the season. She pitched all six innings, allowing two runs on six hits. Ashley Young was charged with the loss for Albright, as she allowed three runs, two earned, over seven innings and fanned 12 Juniata hitters.

Juniata had four players record one hit, while Hippert and Gary each had two hits for Albright.

In game two, the Eagles were unable to solve Young as she earned the complete-game victory, out-dueling Juniata starter Lizzi Bartosik (Penn/Granger, Ind.). Young allowed two hits over seven innings for the Lions while posting nine strikeouts.

Bartosik was nearly as strong as she scattered eight hits over six innings, allowing three runs, two earned on the game.

Albright got started with two runs in the second with Gary driving in both runs with a single. The Lions added another run in the fourth on a Gary solo home run, which capped the scoring for both teams.

Juniata?s biggest threat came in the seventh when the first two batters reached base on a hit by pitch and an error. But the Eagles could not capitalize as Young worked out of the jam.

Hobbs and Marcie White (Central Dauphin East/Dauphin) each had a hit for the Blue and Gold in the game. Gary, Hippert and Young each had two hits for Albright.

The victory in the first game gives Juniata 10 or more victories in six-consecutive seasons, the longest stretch in the history of the Juniata softball program.

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