(Posted April 1, 2006)

Widener 3, Juniata 1
Juniata 8, Widener 3

CHESTER, Pa. ? After another sluggish offensive start in dropping a 3-1 decision in the opening game of a conference doubleheader at Widener University, the Eagles offense broke through with an 8-3 victory in game two to earn a split of the doubleheader Saturday afternoon in Chester. After splitting the games Juniata?s record stands at 8-16 overall and 2-4 in the conference while the Pioneers are 9-9 on the year and 1-5 in the Commonwealth.

After being limited to one run on two hits in the opener, the Eagles offense got started quickly in game two with four runs in the first inning. Liz Schmitt (H Frank Carey/Franklin Square, N.Y.) drove in the first run with an RBI single and then Pam Mansell (Penns Valley/Centre Hall) brought home two runs with another single. Kaylee Kachik (Maplewood/Cambridge Springs) added the final run as she stole home to make the score 4-0.

Widener quickly cut into the deficit as the Pioneers drove Juniata starter Lizzi Bartosik (Penn/Granger, Ind.) from the game after scoring two runs in the first. A bases-loaded walk and an RBI single from Rachel O?Leary brought in the two runs. Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union) came on and got a double-play lineout to end the inning.

The Eagles added to the lead with three more runs in the top of the second, though all three runs came in without the befit of a hit. As a pair of errors and a two wild pitches helped bring home the Juniata runs. The Eagles then added their final run in the fourth when Abby Sener (Donegal/Marietta) came home from third on a double steal.

The eight runs were enough for Hobbs who scattered four hits over seven innings to capture the win. Widener would score one unearned run off the senior hurler in the seventh when Krista Cesarine doubled home Widener?s third run. O?Leary was charged with the loss in the game as she went an inning plus and allowed six runs, three earned, on six hits.

Mansell was 2-for-4 with two RBI in the game, while Sener had one hit and three runs scored. Hobbs and Schmitt each scored a pair of runs with one hit on the game. Cesarine finished with three hits for Widener while O?Leary produced two hits.

In game one, Hobbs found herself on the wrong end of a pitcher?s dual as Mallory Meyer limited Juniata to one run and two hits over seven innings. Hobbs surrendered just three runs on seven hits in the game as she was charged with the loss.

Widener took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the third. And RBI groundout from Meyer and then an RBI single from Ashlee Hutchins accounted for the two runs.

The Eagles cut the lead in half with one run in the fourth. After Hobbs reached on an error Sener delivered an RBI double to make the score 2-1.

Widener quickly answered with a single run in the fourth. Stephanie Caulford drilled a solo home run to open the inning, which would be the final run of the game.

Sener and Heather Lockwood (Hershey/Hummelstown) each had one hit in the game for Juniata. Widener had seven players each finish with one hit.

Juniata will be back in action with a non-conference doubleheader at Saint Vincent on Tuesday.

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