SCRANTON, Pa. – The University of Scranton softball team (16-14, 2-10 Landmark) dropped a pair of contests to the Juniata Eagles (16-14, 8-4 Landmark) in Landmark Conference doubleheader action on Saturday at Magis Field in Scranton.

Scranton dropped game one by a score of 6-2 and then fell 6-5 in eight innings in the nightcap.

Juniata 6, Scranton 2

The Eagles immediately took the lead with three runs in the first inning and a late rally from Scranton came up short in the 6-2 setback.

Morgan Brumbaugh delivered a two-run double for Juniata as part of the three-run first inning and the Eagles then added solo runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings that stretched the lead to 6-0 for the time being.

Sophomore Carley Noble (Allentown, N.J./Allentown) got the start in the circle for Scranton, but was dealt the loss as she allowed three runs on six hits while fanning three in 3 1/3 IP.

Maryn Swank recorded the win for the Eagles after giving up two runs on five hits to go along with two strikeouts over five plus innings of work.

The Royals were able to get two runs back in the home half of the sixth with RBI doubles from senior Sarah Stepnowski (Monroe Twp., N.J./Monroe) and sophomore Soleil Dooner (Doylestown, Pa./Central Bucks East), but were unable to get any closer than 6-2.

Stepnowski (3-3, 2B, RBI, R) led the way offensively for head coach Caitlyn Seamster's team.

Juniata 6, Scranton 5 (F/8)

Scranton tied the game with a run in the sixth inning, but Juniata broke the tie with a run in the top of the eighth and held on for the 6-5 victory.

A throwing error in the eighth inning allowed Brumbaugh to score the go-ahead run.

Freshman Juliana Janezic (Southington, Conn./Cheshire Academy) took the tough-luck loss for the Royals as she allowed just an unearned run on one hit in her 2.0 IP.

Isabella Countryman allowed one run on five hits over four innings of relief and recorded the win for Juniata.

The game was tied at two apiece after three innings following an RBI single from sophomore Emmie Feltenberger (Pottstown, Pa./Owen J. Roberts) in the home half of the third.

Stepnowski delivered a two-run blast in the home half of the fifth inning for her second home run of the season and a 4-2 Scranton lead. From there, Juniata quickly struck back with three in the sixth including a two-run double from Brumbaugh that tied the game and a go-ahead RBI double by Jessie Hunt.

Trailing 5-4, junior Kylie Rochford (Tinton Falls, N.J./Red Bank Catholic) reached with a one-out infield single, went to second on a groundout and scored on Stepnowski's RBI double that tied the game at six apiece.

Dooner got the start for the Royals and allowed five runs on nine hits while fanning one in six innings of work.

Feltenberger (3-4, RBI) and Stepnowski (3-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, 2 R) had three hits apiece to lead the Royals and freshman Celia Totaro (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) added two hits and two runs scored.

Scranton will host Centenary (NJ) in a non-conference doubleheader on Tuesday afternoon at Magis Field with first pitch of game one slated for 3:30 p.m.