(Posted April 18, 2004)

Juniata 4, Lebanon Valley 1
Lebanon Valley 4, Juniata 1

4/18/04--Huntingdon, Pa. - After going nearly two weeks since its last conference game, the Juniata College baseball team split a pair of pitcher's duels at conference foe Lebanon Valley at McGill Park in Annville Sunday afternoon. The Eagles claimed a 4-1 victory in the first game, but then were held to three hits in dropping a 4-1 decision to the home squad. Juniata's record now stands at 14-9 overall and 7-3 in the Commonwealth Conference, while Lebanon Valley is now 11-14 on the year and 8-7 in the conference.

The story of game one was Juniata senior hurler Ryan O'Donnell (Lebanon/Lebanon). O'Donnell earned the complete-game victory by scattering five hits and fanning four Dutchmen batters to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Juniata supplied all the offense they would need in the first two innings. After a pair of walks and a single from Darren Hake (Red Lion/Red Lion), Zach Sternberg (McCaskey/Lancaster) walked in the first run with the bases loaded in the top of the first. Jesse Leonard (Shade/Johnstown) then followed with a single through the left side which plated Hake and Adam Camberg (Altoona/Altoona) which put Juniata on top 3-0 before Lebanon Valley even came to the plate.

An error put Troy Beaver (Bellwood-Antis/Bellwood) on first to start the second for Juniata, and he promptly moved up with a stolen base. Another error moved him to third base, and he then came home on a sacrifice fly from Camberg.

The home team would answer with a run in the bottom of the second. A pair of singles put runners on first and second with one out against O'Donnell. Ron Weaver delivered a single to right to bring in one run and cut the lead to 4-1. Juniata then got some solid "D" to get out of the inning as Hake made a leaping catch at short, and promptly doubled a runner off at second to end the inning.

O'Donnell would remain in control the rest of the way, allowing just two hits in the final five innings. The Flying Dutchmen would threaten in the bottom of the seventh. A lead-off single and a walk put the first two runners on with no one out. The Eagles then got a fine running catch from Matt Garner (Bellwood-Antis/Bellwood) in leftfield and then got a pop-out and a fielder's choice to end the game.

Hake finished 2-for-3 in the game with a run scored. Leonard was 2-for-4 in game one, with a pair of RBI.

Though Juniata knocked out five hits in game one, the Eagle offense was shutdown in game two by Lebanon Valley hurler Craig Denlinger. He held the Eagles to just one run on three hits in seven innings. Juniata had just four base runners for the game and had four strikeouts.

Juniata's lack of offense wasted a solid outing from hurler Andrew Michanowicz (Bishop Guilfoyle/Altoona) allowed four runs on eight hits in five innings of work. The loss dropped him to 1-2 on the season. Eric Bridenbaugh (Central/Martinsburg) worked one inning of scoreless relief.

Lebanon Valley scored one run in the first, one in the fourth and two in the fifth to take control of the game. Juniata's lone run came in the top of the sixth as Will Russell (Tyrone Area/Tyrone) belted his second home run of the season to cut the lead to 4-1. The Eagles would put one more runner on base in the sixth, but then went in order in the seventh.

Russell had a pair of hits to pace the Eagles, while Walt Goedkoop (Manheim Township/Lancaster) recorded the other hit for Juniata.

Juniata will return to action on Tuesday when they play at conference foe Messiah.

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