WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.—Senior Nick Reeder (Montoursville, Pa. / Montoursville Area) and sophomore Kaden Shay (South Williamsport, Pa. / South Williamsport Area) each recorded five hits and senior starters AJ Llorente (Montoursville, Pa. / Williamsport Area) and Jake Wilber (Tom's River, N.J. / Tom's River South) each turned in the longest starts of their careers as the Lycoming College baseball team soundly swept Juniata College, 9-3, and 10-1, in a Landmark Conference doubleheader on Sunday, March 29, at Brandon Park.
Lycoming (13-11, 6-5 Landmark) won their fifth in a row and outscored Juniata (7-12, 2-9 Landmark), 21-4, in a three-game sweep, the first series sweep for the Warriors this season.
In game one, the Eagles took the lead in the top of the second on a double steal that brought Jace Irvin home. The Warriors, though, immediately tied the game up on Reeder's first RBI hit in the bottom of the inning.
In the fourth, Lycoming pulled in front when Reeder pulled another run-scoring single through the right side. Llorente followed with an RBI hit of his own to push the Warrior lead to 3-1.
In the sixth, Juniata pulled back within a run on an RBI double from Zach Johnston, but Lycoming immediately went to work pulling away. Shay restored the two-run edge by scampering home on a wild pitch for a 4-2 lead.
One inning later, Shay kicked off another rally with an RBI single to center, then junior Tyler Iams (Malvern, Pa. / Great Valley) boomed a ground-rule RBI double. Reeder capped off a four-run frame with his fourth hit and RBI of the game: a two-run single up the middle that stretched the lead to 8-2, Warriors.
Jackson Cunnane homered to lead off the eighth, but senior relievers Matt Guido (Holbrook, N.Y. / Sachem East) and Joel Inman (Berlin, N.J. / Eastern Regional), recorded the final six outs without allowing a run in a game one win.
Reeder notched four hits and four RBI, while Shay recorded three hits and four runs scored. Llorente (2-0) pitched into the eighth, working seven innings and allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits, with one walk and five strikeouts. Guido pitched a scoreless inning with a strikeout in the eighth and Inman navigated around two hits and a walk in a scoreless ninth inning.
The nightcap also started tight, with Juniata stringing together three hits in the opening frame and again pulling in front early on an RBI single by Cunnane. Lycoming, though, immediately pulled even when Reeder and senior Sean Perkins (Berlin, N.J. / Eastern Regional) began the bottom of the first with back-to-back doubles.
Wilber settled down after the first, allowing no runs in his last seven innings. Meanwhile, the Warriors blew the game open starting in the fourth.
Shay put the Warriors in front with an RBI infield single, then senior Jack Kelly (Alexandria, Va. / Alexandria City) drove in his first two runs of the season with a two-run single that gave Lycoming a 4-1 edge.
One inning later, the Warriors tacked on four more. After loading the bases on two walks and an error, sophomore Tyler Wetzel (Hughesville, Pa. / Hughesville) stroked a two-run single and a fielder's choice brought in a third rally. Shay capped the rally by slicing an RBI double to left to stretch the lead to 8-1.
In the seventh, the Warriors put the finishing touches on the contest as Llorente ripped a two-run double to push Lycoming into double digits.
Wilber came back and threw a scoreless eighth as he turned in the longest outing by a Warrior this season, then handed the ball off to senior right-hander Stargell Fuhr (Volant, Pa. / Kennedy Catholic) for the final three outs.
Kelly and Shay each finished with two hits and two RBI, while Wetzel and Llorente also drove in two runs each. Wilber (3-2) worked eight innings of one-run ball, allowing one run and scattering eight hits, with three walks and three strikeouts in a 95-pitch performance. Fuhr allowed a hit and a walk, while striking out two in a scoreless ninth in his season debut.
The Warriors will be back in action for a Landmark Conference tilt on Tuesday, March 31 against Wilkes University. First pitch is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. from Brandon Park.
