(Posted April 21, 2005)

Juniata 3, Penn State-Altoona 1
Juniata 5, Penn State-Altoona 1

Huntingdon, Pa. ? The Juniata College softball team rode a pair of complete-game pitching performances to snap a six-game losing streak and post a doubleheader sweep over visiting Penn State-Altoona in Huntingdon Thursday afternoon. Juniata won game one 3-1 and then claimed a 5-1 victory in game two to improve to 13-15-1 on the season. The visitors dropped to 9-18 with the losses.

In game one, the Eagles won a tight pitcher?s dual behind the work of Kim Stoia (Morris Hills/Rockaway, N.J.) who allowed just one run while scattering seven hits to earn her sixth victory of the season.

The Lions? Dana Garman was nearly as strong, but after three scoreless innings, Juniata broke through in the fourth. Danielle Buzin (Central Bucks East/Jamison) launched her first career home run over the left field wall to put Juniata in front 1-0. The Eagles pushed across a pair of insurance runs in the fifth. Jen Piston (Central Bucks East/Jamison) led off with a double then scored on an infield error. An RBI double from Renae Hobbs (Mount Union/Mount Union) added to the lead.

The Lions pushed across one run in the top of the sixth on a solo home run Darcy Everetts. After a hit batter brought the go-ahead run to the plate, the Eagles turned a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning. Juniata preserved the lead as Hobbs threw out a pair of runners at the plate in the game, catching a runner in both the fourth and the fifth innings.

The Eagles finished with six hits in the game with six different players all recording one hit.

Juniata?s offense got going earlier in game one as the Blue and Gold pushed across two runs in the first and added one more in the third. Hobbs came home on a wild pitch to start the scoring, than an RBI groundout from Buzin gave the Eagles a 2-0 lead. An RBI grounder from Julie Hatfield (Southern Cayuga/Scipio Center, N.Y.) gave Juniata a 3-0 edge.

That was enough for Hobbs who went the distance to claim her second win of the season. She surrendered one run on four hits while striking out five in seven innings to claim the win. Janice Ashenfelder was charged with the loss for Penn State-Altoona, as she allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits.

The Lions cut into the Eagle lead in the top of the fifth with a solo home run from Jess Ross. Juniata quickly answered with two runs in the bottom of the inning, as another wild pitch and an RBI single from Allison D?Ambrosia brought in a pair of insurance tallies.

Hobbs went 2-for-3 in the game with a pair of runs scored to lead the Eagle attack.

Juniata gets back in action on Saturday, with a conference doubleheader in Huntingdon against Widener.

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