(Posted April 9, 2005)

Juniata 6, Albright 3
Albright 6, Juniata 4

Reading, Pa. ? The Juniata College baseball team picked up its 10th conference win of the season, and also earned Juniata head coach George Zanic his 100th career victory with a 6-3 victory in the first game of its doubleheader against Albright College in Reading Saturday afternoon. The home team then avoided a sweep by posting a 6-4 win in game two. The split left Juniata with an 18-10 overall mark and a 10-5 record in the Commonwealth, while Albright brought its record to 13-10 and 8-4 in conference action.

Zanic now holds a career record of 100-81-1 in four-plus seasons as the Juniata head coach.

Jayme Fye (Philipsburg-Osceola/Philipsburg) helped Zanic captured win number 100 as he tossed all seven innings, allowing just one earned run on seven hits while striking out three.

Juniata took the early lead with an unearned run in the top of the first. Albright knotted the score in the third on an RBI double from Justin Holland.

The teams matched runs again in the fifth as both teams scored a pair of runs. David Saintz (Titusville/Titusville) notched an RBI single, and then scored on a sacrifice fly from Will Russell (Tyrone/Tyrone). Albright then answered as Nate Ottaviani drove in a pair of runs with an RBI single.

Juniata then took the lead for good in the top of the sixth. Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster) started the frame with a single, then moved to third on a double from Zach Sternberg (McCaskey/Lancaster). Paul Berry (North Hagerstown/Hagerstown) drove both runners in with an RBI base hit. A Paul Evans (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) single moved Berry to third and knocked Albright starter Jeremy Kondisko from the game. A sacrifice fly from Jason Enoch (Hempfield/Landisville) brought in Juniata?s final run.

After going in order in the sixth, Albright made it interesting in the seventh, as they loaded the bases with two out against Fye. But the senior hurler forced a pop-out to end the game and pick up his third win of the year.

Berry and Troy Beaver (Bellwood-Antis/Bellwood) each had a pair of hits for Juniata.

In game two, Albright took an early lead and then withstood a Juniata rally to claim the 6-4 win.

After Juniata took an early lead with an RBI single from Goedkoop in the first, the Lions scored six runs in the first three innings, capped by a three-run third inning. Juniata starter Darius Reed (Juniata Valley/Alexandria) was charged with all six runs, though only three were earned as Juniata committed three errors behind its pitcher. Eric Bridenbaugh (Central/Martinsburg) came on in relief in the third, and saw three runs come in on a walk, a fielder?s choice and a wild pitch.

Albright hurler Andrew Good held the Blue and Gold in check until the fifth when the Blue and Gold pushed across three runs to cut the lead to two. Saintz posted a lead-off single. Russell walked with one out, and Good then surrendered a three-run home run to Goedkoop. Ottaviani came on in relief of Good and set Juniata down to end the sixth, and then pitched a perfect seventh to hold off the Eagles.

Goedkoop was 2-for-3 in the game with four RBI. Holland went 3-for-3 for Albright in the game.

Juniata returns to action on Wednesday with a non-conference road game against St. Vincent.

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