Susquehanna Rallie Past Juniata for Victory in Elimination Game at Landmark Conference Tournament

BETHLEHEM, Pa. --- The second seed Susquehanna University rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to defeat fourth seed Juniata College, 5-1, in the first elimination game Saturday of the 2017 Landmark Conference Championship Tournament being hosted by Moravian College at Blue & Grey Field this weekend.

The River Hawks, now 26-14, advance to the second elimination game of the tournament on Sunday, May 7 at 10:00 a.m. against third seed The Catholic University of America. The winner of that game will face the top seeded Greyhounds at noon, and Moravian needs just one win to capture the conference title and automatic berth in the 2017 NCAA Division III Tournament while the winner of the elimination game will need two victories in the championship round. Juniata ends its season with a 15-26 mark.

Susquehanna had seven hits in the contest with freshman center fielder Kasey Bost going 2-for-3 and sophomore first baseman Jackie Gore driving in a pair of runs.

The Eagles collected five hits with sophomore third baseman Abby Ebright and freshman first baseman Jennifer Carthew each going 2-for-3 with Ebright connecting on a home run.

River Hawk senior pitcher Jamie Fesinstine improved to 11-7 in the circle as she allowed a run on five hits and two walks to go with three strikeouts.

Freshman Rachel Bernier started for Juniata and tossed 4.2 innings with five runs, just two earned, on five hits and a walk to go with one strikeout. Junior Chrisi Lerchen came on for the final 1.1 innings and gave up two hits.

Juniata took a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Ebright led off with a solo home run to left field.

The River Hawks evened the score in the fourth inning when senior designated player Lauren Creamer connected on an RBI double off of the fence in right field to score Gore, who had drawn a walk.

Susquehanna chased four runs across the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the lead. Bost led off with a double and scored on a two-out single from junior shortstop Brooke Kohler. Junior third baseman Emilie Boman added an RBI single while Gore had a two-RBI single up the middle to finish the scoring.