AUBURNDALE, FL – Senior Jake Elston crushed a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth inning to lead The University of Scranton baseball team to a 10-9 victory over Juniata College on Saturday in Florida.

The Basics

• Final Score: Scranton - 10, Juniata - 9
• Records: Scranton (2-4), Juniata (4-4)
• Both of the baseball team's wins this season are walk-offs.

How it Happened

• With Elston on second and junior Vincent Napolitano on first, the Royals pulled off a double steal, and Elston scored on a throwing error from catcher Jace Irvin to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. 
• Scranton added its second run of the inning as junior Conor Campbell drove in Napolitano with a two out base hit, extending the Royals lead to 2-0.
• Juniata responded with a pair of RBI base hits to tie the game at 2-2 in the top half of the second inning, although graduate student Matthew Moreira stranded the bases loaded after picking off the runner on second base to keep the game tied.
• After senior Pat Coyne ripped a double to lead off the home half of the inning and advanced to third base on a balk, graduate student Matthew Querey singled him home to put Scranton back in front, 3-2.
• The Eagles answered immediately in the top of the fourth inning, however, as Jackson Cunnane drilled a solo home run over the left field fence to tie the game at three apiece.
• With junior Aidan Casey on second after reaching base on a fielder's choice and Elston's bunt single placing him at first base, junior John Heitzman tripled into right center field to score both runners and give the Royals a 5-3 lead. One batter later, Napolitano drove in Heitzman with a base hit, and Campbell followed with a triple that scored Napolitano from first, extending the Scranton advantage to 7-3.
• Juniata tacked on a run in the top of the sixth inning on an RBI ground out, cutting Scranton's lead down to three runs. The Eagles added another run on an RBI double to reduce the deficit to 7-5.
• Scranton responded with a pair runs in the seventh. First, Heitzman scored on a throwing error after Campbell dropped down a bunt, and sophomore Jake Lopez ripped a single into center field to score Campbell and give the Royals a 9-5 lead.
• The Eagles, with a big eighth inning where they tallied four runs on five hits, evened the score at 9-9.
• Leading off the bottom of the ninth inning, Elston came up to bat and crushed a walk-off, solo home run to win the game for the Royals. 

Top Performers

• Elston slugged his fifth career home run, and he recorded two hits and scored three runs.
• Campbell tallied a team-high three hits and scored one run.
• Junior Logan Mason pitched 1 1/3 innings, earning the win after striking out two batters and sending the game to the bottom of the ninth tied at nine.

Up Next

• The Royals are back in action tomorrow with a double header against Juniata College in Landmark Conference play. First pitch for game one is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. in Davenport, Fl.