(Posted April 5, 2007)

GRANTHAM, Pa. - The Juniata College baseball team were able to keep the bats warm on a cold day as the Eagles picked up a 9-1 conference victory over Messiah College Thursday afternoon. Paul Dunklebarger (State College/State College) tossed a complete-game victory as Juniata (12-8-1, 5-2-1 Commonwealth) earned its fifth win in its last six conference games. The junior hurler held Messiah (9-10, 5-3 Commonwealth) to five hits over nine innings while striking out six. He did not allow more than one hit in an inning, and kept the Falcons off the scoreboard until there were two outs in the ninth. Greg Hoffman (Dulaney/Phoenix, Md.) went 3-for-3 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored offensively for Juniata. His run scored opened the scoring as he doubled and came home on an Andrew Kriss (John Carroll/Forest Hill, Md.) single in the top of the second. Juniata added a pair of runs in the second with Kevin Small (Wheaton North/Wheaton, Ill.) and Hoffman each notched RBI singles. The Eagles broke the game open with a four-run seventh inning. Kriss provided the big blow as he knocked in a pair of runs with a single to give Juniata a 7-0 lead. A two-RBI single from Hoffman in the top of the eighth capped Juniata\'s scoring. Kriss finished the day with two hits and three RBI for the Blue and Gold who have scored at least six runs in each of its last five games. Juniata\'s scheduled doubleheader against Messiah for Saturday has been postponed, and will be played on Tuesday beginning at 1 p.m. The Eagles will be in action again on Monday when they host Susquehanna for the replay of the second game of a doubleheader from last Sunday. ###

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