ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. – The Elizabethtown College baseball team held Juniata to six hits over two games, topping the visitors 5-0 and 6-1 Sunday afternoon.
With the two wins, the Blue Jays finish the regular season 13-9 and lock up the three seed in the Landmark Conference Tournament. The Eagles fall to 12-12 overall and will be the five seed in the upcoming championship.
Junior Joey Thomas finished the day with a double, two RBI, and two runs scored. In game two, senior Collin Slenker went 1-2 with a run scored and an RBI while sophomore Ben Watson was 2-2 with a triple and three RBI.
GAME ONE: ELIZABETHTOWN 5 JUNIATA 0
After senior Tyler Dunbar put down the first three batters in order in the top of the first, Etown wasted little time scoring three runs in the bottom of the inning. Senior Andrew Fisher scored the first run of the game, taking advantage of a fielding error by the shortstop for the 1-0 lead.
Thomas then pushed the Blue Jays' advantage to three, slapping a single to right field, plating junior Tyler McGonigle and Watson, making the score 3-0 after one.
Senior JT Thompson took care of the rest of the scoring, with a sacrifice fly in the second inning and fourth inning giving Etown its second shutout victory of the season, 5-0.
Dunbar (2-0) had his second masterful performance in as many starts, scattering three hits over seven innings and striking out five. The senior has not allowed an earned run in his last 17 innings on the mound.
Senior Julius Thomas (2-3) pitched four innings in a losing effort, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and striking out two.
GAME TWO: ELIZABETHTOWN 6 JUNIATA 1
The Blue Jays took the lead in the bottom of the first yet again, tallying two runs in the opening frame. With the bases loaded and no outs, junior Tyler McGonigle reached on a fielder's choice, plating senior Andrew Fisher and then senior JT Thompson followed him home on a throwing error by the second basemen making the score 2-0.
Etown did the most damage in the bottom of the second, plating four and pushing its lead to six. After an RBI-single by Slenker, Watson stepped in three batters later with two outs and the bases loaded. The sophomore crushed a triple to right-center field, clearing the bases and giving the Blue Jays a 6-0 advantage.
Juniata managed one run in the top of the fourth, but that is all they would muster as Etown topped the Eagles 6-1 for the 3-1 series win.
Senior Joe Sarich started game two, allowing one hit over two innings, striking out three. Senior Kelly Holdren (6-0) recorded the win in relief, pitching three innings and allowing one unearned run, and striking out five. Freshman Justin Peterson and sophomore Micah Wolf pitched the final two innings to complete the win.
Sophomore Drew Westover (0-2) recorded his second loss of the season, pitching one and two-thirds innings and giving up five runs.
Elizabethtown and Juniata will meet again in their Landmark Conference Championship opener on Saturday, May 15. Time of first pitch is yet to be announced. For updated spectator policies from the other Landmark schools, please visits the conference's spectator policy landing page.
