(Posted March 22, 2006)

Juniata 10, Pitt-Greensburg 0
Juniata 5, Pitt-Greensburg 4

HUNTINGDON, Pa. ? An explosive offensive effort early in game one and a rally midway through game two helped the Juniata College softball team to a doubleheader sweep of visiting Pitt-Greensburg in non-conference action in Huntingdon Wednesday afternoon. Juniata earned a 10-0 victory in game one, and then held off a late Pitt-Greensburg push to claim a 5-4 win in game two. The Eagles raised their record to 6-10 with the wins, while Pitt-Greensburg is now 1-11 on the season.

Juniata did all of its damage in the first game in the first two innings with six runs in the first and another four in the second. The Eagles knocked out seven hits in the first frame as Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union) led off the game with a triple, and then came home on an RBI groundout from Tara Carl (Otto-Eldred/Duke Center). Marcie White (Central Dauphin East/Dauphin) and Julie Hatfield (Southern Cayuga/Scipio Center, N.Y.) both had RBI singles in the frame, while Liz Schmitt (H Frank Carey/Franklin Square, N.Y.) delivered a two-run double that gave Juniata the early 6-0 cushion.

That was more than enough for Hobbs who picked up her third win, and first shutout of the season by going all five innings. She scattered three hits and struck out four in the game.

Juniata provided Hobbs with more of a cushion with the four runs in the second. The senior hurler helped her own cause with a bases-loaded double that pushed across two runs. Carl followed with an RBI single to cap the scoring.

Ashley Gardner was charged with the loss for the visitors as she allowed 10 runs, six earned over two innings. Shannon Thomas pitched two innings of scoreless relief for the Bobcats.

Hobbs finished game one 3-for-4 with three RBI and a run scored. Hatfield, Abby Sener (Donegal/Marietta) and White all finished with two hits in the game.

In game two, the Eagles trailed 4-3 in the bottom of the fourth before Kaylee Kachik (Maplewood/Cambridge Springs) singled to center and saw the ball get past the center fielder to bring home the tying and go-ahead runs.

Pitt-Greensburg would threaten in the sixth, putting runners on second and third with two out. From there senior pitcher Lizzi Bartosik (Penn/Granger, Ind.) induced a fly-out, and then put the visitors down in order in the seventh to secure the win.

Bartosik went all seven innings, allowing four runs on five hits while striking out three to claim her third win of the season. Megan Flower was charged with the loss for the visitors, though she allowed just two earned runs on six hits in six innings. Three Bobcat errors contributed to three unearned runs in the game.

Juniata jumped out to an early lead again in game two, pushing across one run in the first on an RBI double from Sener. The Blue and Gold added two more in the second with runs coming home on a groundout and a wild pitch.

This time Pitt-Greensburg answered as they scored three runs in the third to tie the score. After the first run came home on a passed ball, Katie Welsh delivered an RBI single and Ali Carr followed with a double to bring home the tying run. The Bobcats would then take the lead in the fourth as a single to right field by Jenna Ward was misplayed leading to an unearned run.

Schmitt paced Juniata?s offense with two hits in three at-bats.

The Eagles are back in action on Thursday with a non-conference doubleheader against Gettysburg.

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