(Posted March 11, 2011)

NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Juniata College softball closed out its 2011 spring break trip with a pair of losses Friday afternoon at Central Park Fields in North Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Juniata (2-6) opened the day with a 5-2 loss to Mount Aloysius College, and wrapped up its spring break slate with a 3-2 loss to Gwynedd Mercy College.

After yielding one run to Mount Aloysius in the top of the first, Juniata took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when Meghan Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area) doubled home Kelsey Shutt (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin), and Melissa Moffat (Oceanside, Calif./Oceanside) singled into center to plate Amanda Gerlach (Mesa, Ariz./Marcos de Niza). Gerlach got aboard with a base hit up the middle.

The Mounties hit two-run home runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to retake the lead and post the win.

Juniata starter Mason Kersey (Charles Town, W.Va./St. John's Prep) fanned five Mount Aloysius batters with two walks, but allowed five earned runs on 10 hits over seven complete innings of work. Mount Aloysius starter Carrie Shevlock struck out nine Juniata batters and forced the Eagles to go three-up, three-down in each of the first three innings.

In game two, Juniata grabbed a 2-1 lead in the top of the fourth on two hits. Rachel Smith (Martinsburg, Pa.) laced a one-out triple to right center to score pinch runner Erin Francis (Parkton, Md./Hereford) for the first Eagle run. Nicole Marks (Gardners, Pa./Carlisle) plated Smith later in the frame with a single down the left field line.

Gwynedd Mercy scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to take the lead, taking advantage of a throwing error by the Juniata catcher and an RBI single by Stephanie Farrar.

Smith went 2-for-2 at the plate for the Eagles, while Caley McCool (Spring Mills, Pa./Penns Valley), Meghan Decker, Moffat, and Marks each had one hit.

Kelsea Decker (Waynesboro, Pa./Waynesboro Area) allowed three runs on five hits with five strikeouts in the loss.

Juniata returns to action on Tuesday, Mar. 15, when it makes its 2011 home debut against Lebanon Valley College.

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