(Posted April 29, 2007)

FREDERICK, Md. - The Juniata College softball team will take some good momentum into the off-season as the Eagles swept a season-ending non-conference doubleheader against Hood College Sunday afternoon. Juniata picked up a 6-1 victory in game one and then captured a 6-4 win in game two. It was the second time this season that the Eagles swept a doubleheader. The Eagles got a complete-game three hitter from Alyssa Erb (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) in game one and then the freshman came on in relief to help lead a Juniata (13-5) comeback that was capped by a three-run home run from Rachel Nagy (Nazareth/Nazareth) in the top of the seventh. Erb went all seven innings in game one, scattering three hits and allowing just one unearned run. She fanned six in the contest. Juniata gave Erb a 2-0 lead in the top of the first on a pair of unearned runs. Hood responded with an unearned run of its own in the bottom of the first to pull within a run. The Eagles then put the game away with three runs in the sixth. Tara Carl (Otto-Eldred/Duke Center) doubled home the first run and then Nagy brought in two more runs with a double to put Juniata on top 5-1. A sacrifice fly from Jackie Morley (Archbishop Wood/North Wales) gave Juniata the final 6-1 in the top of the seventh. Erb helped her own cause with a team-high three hits. Nagy had a pair of hits to go with her two RBI. Jamie Gardner was charged with the loss for Hood as she allowed six runs, three earned, on nine hits. Three different players finished with a hit in the game. In game two Juniata trailed 4-1 before the Eagles cut the lead to 4-3 with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings and then Nagy delivered the big blow in the top of the seventh. Juniata scored first as Sarah Eckard (Hollidaysburg/Hollidaysburg) came home on a passed ball in the first. Hood then broke through against Juniata hurler Pam Mansell (Penns Valley/Centre Hall) with four runs in the third. Tamara Maggard and Kara Robert each produced two-RBI doubles. Erb came on in relief in the inning and recorded three outs to get out of the jam. The freshman then went the final four innings, allowing just two hits and striking out eight. The Eagles got one run back in the fourth as a run came home on an error. Nagy then pulled Juniata within a run as she belted a solo home run in the fifth inning. Then in the seventh, Amanda Albanese (North Hunterdon/Hampton, N.J.) started the inning with a double. Eckard followed with a bunt single, one batter later Nagy put Juniata on top with a three-run home run that proved to be the difference. Nagy finished the game 2-for-3 with four RBI and two runs scored. Eckard had three hits and scored twice for Juniata. Maggard was charged with the loss for Hood as she allowed six earned runs over seven innings. Sara Wastler led Hood with two hits in the game. Juniata will return nearly its entire roster in 2008 as the Eagles have no seniors on the team. ###

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