(Posted March 30, 2011)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College softball let a one-run lead slip away in the top of the seventh inning, falling to Saint Vincent College, 5-2, in game two of a non-conference doubleheader Wednesday afternoon on Weaver Park Field.

Juniata (2-16) dropped a 13-0 decision in game one of the twinbill, yielding three runs in both the first and second innings with Saint Vincent plating six runs in the seventh.

After Saint Vincent (9-1) put up one run in the top of the sixth inning of game two, Juniata responded to take a 2-1 lead.

Sixth-inning leadoff batter Amanda Gerlach (Mesa, Ariz./Marcos de Niza) reached on fielding error at short, and pinch runner Erin Francis (Parkton, Md./Hereford) advanced to second on a Meghan Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area) single and error at first base. Francis later scored on a dropped sacrifice fly to left field, tying the game at 1-1.

Two batters later, pinch runner Nicole Marks (Gardners, Pa./Carlisle), running for Meghan Decker, scored on a wild pitch to give Juniata the lead.

Three outs away from the win, Juniata allowed Saint Vincent to score three runs on three hits, a hit-by-pitch, and a walk. SVC's Maria Adams did all the scoring damage, plating three runs on a double to left center.

Caley McCool (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley) went 2-for-4 at the plate in game two, following up on a 2-for-3 effort in game one. Gerlach, Meghan Decker, Kelsey Shutt (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) and Jen Ashcraft (Bellefonte, Pa./State College Area) each had one hit in game two, while Kelsea Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area) and Steph Frith (Pottstown, Pa./Pottsgrove) each had a base hit in game one.

Kelsea Decker fanned eight Bearcat batters in game two, allowing the five runs, four earned, on five hits with four walks on her way to the loss. Saint Vincent starter Alyssa Grossman, the reigning ECAC South Softball Player of the Week, allowed both unearned runs on seven hits with seven strikeouts in the win.

Mason Kersey (Charles Town, W.Va./St. John's Catholic) got the start for Juniata in the opening game of the twinbill, and allowed seven earned runs on 11 hits with two walks in six innings of work and was charged with the loss. Lydia Gorba (Portage, Pa./Portage Area) and Kelsea Decker finished out the seventh inning in relief.

Juniata returns to the diamond on Saturday, April 2, when it travels to Madison, N.J., to face Drew University in a Landmark Conference matchup. First pitch of game one of the doubleheader is slated for 1:00 p.m.

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