(Posted March 31, 2007)

BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Juniata College baseball team got a combination of solid offense and strong pitching performances to sweep a Commonwealth Conference baseball doubleheader against Moravian College Saturday afternoon. Juniata won game one 9-3, and then claimed a 6-2 victory in game two. After being held to five or fewer runs in five consecutive games heading into its three-game series with Moravian, Juniata (10-8-1, 3-2-1 Commonwealth) scored at least six runs in all three games against Moravian (6-10, 3-4 Commonwealth) In game one, the Eagles rode a five-run fourth inning to the 9-3 victory. Juniata got started in the first with RBI doubles from Dan Kauffman (Penn Manor/Conestoga) and Steve Wilk (Blairsville/Hollidaysburg) along with a sacrifice fly from Dane Ott (South Williamsport/South Williamsport) to take a quick 3-0 lead. The Greyhounds answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning of Juniata starter Jason Enoch (Hempfield/Lancaster). An RBI double from Joseph Durso and a Collin Welles sacrifice fly cut Juniata\'s lead to 3-2. Enoch found his rhythm from there and surrendered just one run over the next five innings to earn the victory. He allowed three runs on seven hits while fanning seven to improve to 2-2 on the year. The Eagles gave him a comfortable cushion with the five-run fourth in which the Eagles had three hits and got the benefit of a pair of Moravian errors. Ott delivered a two-run double which was the big blow in the innings, while Kauffman, Kevin Small (Wheaton North/Wheaton, Ill.) and Greg Hoffman (Dulaney/Phoenix, Md.) all drove in runs in the frame. Moravian got a run back in the fifth on an infield hit from Durso, but the Eagles answered with their final run coming on an infield error in the top of the sixth. Ott and Kauffman each had one hit and three RBI in the game to lead the Juniata offense, while Kauffman also scored twice. Jordan Reitz (Waynesboro/Waynesboro) was 1-for-2 with three runs scored in game one. Trevor Lawrence was charged with the loss for Moravian as he allowed nine runs, just three earned, over 5 1-3 innings. Josh Baltz, Pete Moore and Durso all had two hits for Moravian. Juniata got the benefit of more defensive miscues from Moravian in game two as just one of the team\'s five runs in the game were earned. Both teams were scoreless through the first two innings before Moravian got a sacrifice fly from Baltz in the bottom of the third to take a 1-0 lead. Juniata hurler Paul Dunklebarger (State College/State College) yielded just one run the rest of the way as he picked up the win. He scattered five hits over seven innings and notched eight strikeouts while pitching around five walks. Juniata took the lead for good with three runs in the fourth. Cory Poff (Red Lion/Red Lion) drove in two runs with a single, and Shawn McDonald (Bishop Canevin/Pittsburgh) singled with two outs to put Juniata in front 3-1. The Eagles added to the lead in the fifth with an error accounting for the first run. Kauffman then blasted a two-run home run to put Juniata in front 6-1. Moravian added one run in the seventh to cut into the lead, but Dunklebarger fanned the final batter to secure the win. Ben Yeager (Owen J. Roberts/Pottstown) was 3-for-3 for Juniata on the day while Kauffman had one hit with two runs scored and two RBI. Christopher Morrison was tagged with the loss as he allowed six runs on six hits over six innings, while recording eight strikeouts. Only one of the runs he allowed was earned. Moore had two hits and an RBI for Moravian. Juniata will be back in action Sunday afternoon as the Eagles host Commonwealth foe Susquehanna in a doubleheader that was rescheduled from March 17. ###

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