DAVENPORT, FL – The University of Scranton baseball team completed the sweep of Juniata College with wins of 7-2 and 6-3.

The Basics

• Records: Scranton (4-4), Juniata (4-5)

Game One

• Final Score: Scranton – 7, Juniata – 2 

How it Happened

• The Royals' offense got things started early with a four run first inning. 
• Although junior John Heitzman was thrown out at second base on a double steal attempt, junior Aidan Casey, who reached base after singling to lead off the game, came around to score to put Scranton ahead 1-0.
• Scranton tacked on two more runs later in the inning when an error allowed both freshman Joey Granko and junior Conor Campbell to score and extend the lead to 3-0. Graduate student Matthew Querey then drove in senior Pat Coyne, who reached base on the previous error, with a base hit to make it 4-0 Royals.
• After he had thrown three shutout innings with two strikeouts so far, Juniata finally got to junior Matt Scepkowski and scored its first run of the game on a sacrifice-fly in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 4-1.
• Scranton added three more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. After pinch running for senior TJ Pleban and three failed pick off attempts, sophomore James Nitti stole second base, allowing Querey to score on the throw. Casey then drove in Nitti with a single to give Scranton a 6-1 advantage.
• With two runs already home in the inning, two outs and nobody on, senior Jake Elston dropped a bunt down the third base side and beat it out for an infield single. Then Heitzman ripped a double to right field and Elston scored from first to extend the lead to 7-1.
• Juniata got one run back in the top of the ninth after a single and a double scored a run, but senior Dominic Chieffalo struck out two and induced a ground out to end the inning and secure the win for Scranton.

Top Performers

• Scepkowski earned the win with seven innings of one run baseball with just five hits allowed and three strikeouts. His seven innings is the deepest a Scranton starting pitcher has gone into a game all year.
• Casey reached base three times with two hits and a hit by pitch while also scoring one run, driving in one run and stealing a base.
• Querey recorded two hits and an RBI.

Game Two

• Final Score: Scranton - 6, Juniata - 3

• Juniata scored the first run of the game in the top of the first on an RBI double to right field.
• The Royals capitalized on mistakes by the Eagles in the bottom of the first to take a 3-1 lead.
• Sophomore Jared Cassella also hit a two RBI double to left field in the bottom of the first to put Scranton up 5-1.
• Casey scored Scranton's sixth run of the game in the second inning on an RBI from classmate Vincent Napolitano.
• The Royals held on to win by a final score of 6-3.

• Freshman Eli Peifer pitched 4.1 innings and allowed just two runs on three hits and three strikeouts to earn his first collegiate win.