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Box Score 2
HUNTINGDON, Pa. – Head coach Mike Bartoletti earned his 300th career win at Scranton and The University of Scranton baseball team (14-8, 14-8 Landmark) split a doubleheader with the Juniata Eagles (11-9, 11-9 Landmark) on Sunday afternoon at Langdon-Goodale Stadium in Huntingdon.
The Royals took game two by a score of 18-2 after dropping game one by a score of 15-13 and remained atop the Landmark Conference standings with two regular season games remaining.
Bartoletti is the winningest coach in program history.
Game One
Juniata's Sam Craig hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth and gave Juniata the 15-13 victory in game one.
The Eagles had battled back from a 13-9 deficit with three runs in the seventh and one in the eighth to tie the game at 13 apiece.
Freshman right-hander George Sengos (Washington Twp., N.J./Westwood Regional) was charged with the two runs in the ninth and dealt the loss for the Royals, while Dominic Hoyle tossed a scoreless inning of relief to record the win for Juniata.
Scranton grabbed an early 9-0 lead in the first three innings highlighted by three RBI from senior Connor Harding (Vestal, N.Y./Vestal) and a pair of RBI from freshman Corey Zientek (Sugarloaf, Pa./Hazleton Area) who also scored two runs in the early stages of game one. Juniata scored three runs in the third and five runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 9-8 as Jake Swank hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Julius Thomas made the start for Juniata and gave up seven runs on nine hits over 2 1/3 IP.
Junior southpaw James Gadue (West Hartford, Conn./Hall) got the start for the Royals and allowed three runs on six hits while walking one and fanning four over three plus innings in a no-decision.
The Royals added a pair of runs in both the fifth and sixth innings as Zientek hit a solo shot to left, while sophomore George Jenkins (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and freshman Aidan Plick (Cranford, N.J./Cranford) both knocked in runs with sacrifice flies.
Zientek was 3-5 in game one with a double, home run, three RBI and four runs scored to lead the Royals offensively. Harding, Jenkins, Plick and junior Tyler Kirsten (Wallenpaupack, Pa./Wallenpaupack Area) all added multi-hit games for the visitors as Harding drove in three runs and Kirsten registered two doubles.
Game Two
Scranton grabbed an early lead with four runs in the first inning and cruised to the 18-2 victory in game two.
A double, error and hit by pitch loaded the bases with one away before junior Jake Lisicky (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) knocked in a run with an RBI single and senior Kevin Johnson (Whitehouse Station, N.J./Hunterdon Central) cleared the bases with a three-run double to make it a 4-0 game.
Junior right-hander Josh Lydon (Shavertown, Pa./Dallas) gave up two runs on five hits and fanned a career-high nine batters in six innings of work to earn his third win of the year for the Royals. Classmate Mason Boettger (Old Forge, Pa./Old Forge) struck out a pair in a scoreless inning of relief.
Jack Dovidio was dealt the loss for Juniata after allowing five runs (four earned) on five hits to go along with a walk and four strikeouts in four plus innings of work.
Scranton broke the game open with eight runs in the fifth inning as Johnson delivered an RBI single in the frame and junior Dan Crossan (Media, Pa./Archbishop Carroll) plated a pair with a two-run single, while Kirsten and sophomore Justin Pinckert (Somerville, N.J./Immaculata) both notched RBI as well. Bartoletti's squad would add three runs in each of the final two innings including a solo shot from Crossan, his second round-tripper of the season.
Crossan and Johnson tallied three hits apiece to pace Scranton in the nightcap and Kirsten was 2-5 with an RBI and three runs scored.
Johnson set a new career-high with five RBI in game two, surpassing his previous career-high of four that he had matched on Monday at Susquehanna.
The University of Scranton baseball team will close out the regular season by hosting Susquehanna in a doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon at Volpe Field. First pitch of game one is slated for 3:30 p.m.
--ROYALS--
