(Posted March 16, 2006)

Juniata 11, Susquehanna 3

HUNTINGDON, Pa. ? Dan Kauffman (Penn Manor/Conestoga Valley) belted a pair of home runs as the Juniata College baseball team improved to 4-0 in conference play with an 11-3 victory over Susquehanna University Thursday afternoon in Huntingdon. The Eagles are now 9-4 overall after the win, while Susquehanna fell to 2-7 on the season. The game was the conference opener for the Crusaders.

Both teams finished with eight hits in the game, but the Eagles finished with five extra-base hits including three home runs. It marked the eighth time this season that Juniata has scored 10 or more runs in a game.


The Crusaders took the early lead on an RBI single from John Spatz in the top of the first. The Eagles countered and took the lead permanently with three runs in the bottom of the inning. RBI doubles from Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster) and Jesse Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) put the home team in front 3-1.

Juniata built on the lead as Kauffman drilled a two-run home run in the bottom of the third to extend the lead to 5-1. That was the final run that Crusaders starter Eric Damm would allow as he surrendered five runs on five hits in six innings of work and was charged with the loss.

Susquehanna cut into the Eagles? lead with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth. The visitors strung together three-straight hits, including an RBI single from Jason Gaccione to cut the lead to two.

That was the last time the visitors would get to Juniata hurler Jason Enoch (Hempfield/Landisville) as he went the distance to earn his third victory of the season. The sophomore scattered eight hits over nine innings while fanning nine.

Juniata put the game away in the late innings as Kauffman drilled another two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh. A costly infield error and a two-run home run from David Saintz (Titusville/Titusville) pushed across four runs in the bottom of the eighth to cap the scoring.

Kauffman was 2-for-4 in the game with the two home runs and four RBI. Saintz also added a pair of hits while scoring four runs and driving in a pair.

Spatz finished with a pair of hits, a run scored and an RBI to lead the Susquehanna offense, while Matt Ruane also produced two hits and scored a run.

Juniata and Susquehanna will complete its three-game series on Saturday with a doubleheader in Selinsgrove.

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