HUNTINGDON, PA (March 25, 2022) -- The Susquehanna University baseball team hit a combined four home runs over Friday afternoon's Landmark Conference doubleheader with Juniata College, powering past the Eagles in both games to earn a sweep with scores of 5-2 and 14-0. Following the game, Saturday's single game to finish the conference series was postponed due to impending rain, and will be made up at a later date. 

Game 1: Susquehanna 5, Juniata 2
The River Hawk jumped out fast on the host Eagles with two runs in the top of the first, and SU starter Dillan Weikel once again sparkled on the mound as Susquehanna picked up the game one victory. 

SU wasted no time taking a 2-0 lead, as Sean McCulloch reached to start the game on an infield single and then scored a batter later on Kris Morrow's second homerun of the year.  

The pitchers would dig in from there, as neither would allow another run until the top of the sixth. The Eagles best threat though came in the bottom of the fifth, putting runners on the corners with one out. Weikel was able to work through the jam, getting a strikeout and ground out to wiggle out of trouble. 

The next half tinning, Susquehanna pushed three more runs across as JP Yore and Adam Schreck each singled to put runners at first and second with no outs. The pair would convert a double steal, both coming around two batters later on a single from Lance Book. Book scored himself on the next at bat, as Michael Buiso singled to make it 5-0. 

Juniata would finally get on the board with two runs in the ninth inning, but Aidan Piccioni finished the Eagles off with a swinging strikeout to seal the win. 

Morrow finished 2-for-3 with two RBI, a double, two walks and a run scored, while Schreck and Tony Rossi were each 2-for-5. Sean McCulloch also posted two hits in four at-bats, Book finished with two hits and Chris Corrado also added two hits in four at-bats. 

Weikel went 7.0 innings, allowing only six hits and two walks while striking out 10 Eagle batters. Piccioni worked the final two innings, giving up two earned runs on two hits while fanning two. 

Game 2: Susquehanna 14, Juniata 0
The River Hawks touched off for three homers in game two, also taking advantage of seven Juniata miscues to earn the season series win and sweep. 

Once again McCulloch was the catalyst early, as she singled to left-center to start the game and then promptly swiped his 14th stolen base of the year. Three batters later, McCulloch would come around to score thanks to a Juniata error to make it 1-0. 

After a 1-2-3 inning in the bottom of the first, Susquehanna blew the game wide open in the top of the second. With the bases loaded and no one out, McCulloch singled in Michael Mancuso to make it 2-0. Three pitches later, Morrow touched off for a grand slam to dead center field to give SU a six-run lead. The River Hawks added two more runs in the frame thanks to three errors to push their edge out to 8-0. 

Susquehanna upped its lead to 11-0 in the top of the third, as Yore doubled in a run followed by Schreck's second big fly of the season. Yore wouldn't be left out, as he also connected on a two-run shot in the top of the seventh to finish the scoring. 

It was plenty of support for River Hawk starter Teagan Duffie, who surrendered only four hits over seven innings, striking out seven in getting his first win of the season. Christian Rossi came on to record a scoreless eighth, and Tyler Rigot worked a perfect ninth inning in his Susquehanna debut. 

McCulloch posted a 2-for-4 game with two runs, while Yore stayed hot while going 2-for-5 with three RBI and three runs. Schreck finished 2-for-3 with three driven in, and Morrow ended 1-for-3 with five runs batted in. Mancuso was also 1-for-2, reaching twice on hit by pitches while scoring a run with a sacrifice fly as well. 

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Up Next

• The River Hawks will have the rest of the weekend off before returning to the diamond on Tuesday afternoon at 3 p.m. to host Keystone College on Bollinger Field in non-conference play. 

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