HUNTINGDON, PA - A pitching masterclass from Brianna Jones helped propel the River Hawks past the Eagles of Juniata College in a doubleheader sweep. Jones threw both games for SU, totaling 13 innings pitched on the afternoon. Followed by a two home run day by first-year Savannah Patrone, the River Hawks took down their conference foe, 5-0 in game one, and 12-2 in game two.
Game 1: Susquehanna 5, Juniata 0
Susquehanna pitcher Bri Jones led a defensive masterpiece against the Eagles in the first game of the conference doubleheader. Jones pitched all seven innings allowing only three hits. She adds nine new batters to her growing strikeout total, now sitting at 218 career strikeouts following game one.
Susquehanna got the scoring going early in the matchup when Lexi Palumbo smashed a double to left field, scoring Jones for the opening frame run. Jones saw three batters, and retired all three with the help of her defense in the bottom half of the frame.
Both teams continued to have a stellar defensive showcase until the fifth inning when Hailey Kaba sent a ball out of the park, scoring Stevie Shaak alongside herself. Alyssa Mayorca doubled to left field, earning an RBI as Bri Jones crossed the home bag. Susquehanna held a comfortable 4-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth.
The sixth inning saw the River Hawks tack on their final run of the matchup when Hailey Kaba reached first on a throwing error, and Stevie Shaak scored.
Game 2: Susquehanna 12, Juniata 2
Bri Jones was not finished after her fifth shutout of the season in game one. The junior pitcher threw yet another complete game only allowing three hits, while striking out five batters.
The River Hawks exploded in the first inning scoring four runs. Mayorca reached first on a fielding error, scoring Bri Jones. Following Mayorca was Kaitlyn Dugery as she singled to center field, earning an RBI when Mayorca touched the home bag. Savannah Patrone stepped up to the plate next, crushing a ball out of the park to earn her first career homerun. Juniata answered in the bottom half of the inning when Superka hit a homerun. The River Hawks held a 4-1 lead after the first.
Juniata scored a run in the third inning to cut the SU lead to two. Jones sent a sacrifice fly to out to center field to add an insurance run for the River Hawks in the fourth inning.
The fifth inning saw the River Hawks explode once again with another three run frame. Kaylee Smallen singled to center advancing Graysen Trybulski across the plate. Emily Deitch also singled to center in the inning, scoring Grace Landis. All of the batter advanced off a fielding error, including Smallen, scoring the third SU run of the inning.
The sixth inning proved to be the nail in the coffin for the Eagles as they gave up an additional four runs. Mayorca tripled to center field, scoring Jones. Following Mayorca's triple was a Palumbo single, scoring the speedy Mayorca. Savannah Patrone earned her second career homerun to clinch the game for the River Hawks, as she scored alongside Palumbo to win the game 12-2.
Up Next For SU:
The River Hawks earn two much needed conference wins against Juniata and sit with a comfortable 4-2 conference record. The River Hawks overall record advances to 8-13 as they look ahead to a battle against the Cardinals of Catholic University on Saturday, April 12 in Selinsgrove.
