Juniata JUNIATA 0-1

Shenandoah SHENANDO 1-0

Juniata JUNIATA

0-1

Final

Feb. 22, 2025

Shenandoah SHENANDO

1-0

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Juniata JUNIATA	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	1
Shenandoah SHENANDO	0	0	4	0	0	1	X	5	6	0

W: Sexton, Becca (1-0) L: M. Swank (0-1)

Juniata JUNIATA 0-2

Shenandoah SHENANDO 2-0

Juniata JUNIATA

0-2

Final

Feb. 22, 2025

Shenandoah SHENANDO

2-0

Score By Periods
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
Juniata JUNIATA	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	2	4	0
Shenandoah SHENANDO	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	3	7	2

W: Smith, Taylor (1-0) L: G. Ruch (0-1)

Game Recap: Softball | 2/22/2025 9:23:00 PM | Matt McIntosh '23

Softball Sweeps Juniata on Opening Day

WINCHESTER, Va. - The Shenandoah University softball team began its 2025 season with a home sweep over Juniata College in non-conference play on Saturday afternoon.

The Hornets (2-0) won game one 5-0 behind a dominant pitching performance by Becca Sexton, who pitched a complete game shutout. In game two, the Eagles (0-2) jumped out to a 2-0 lead but SU came back and won 3-2 on a walk-off RBI by Allison McQueeney.

GAME ONE

Pitching Decisions:

Win: Becca Sexton (1-0) - 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 SO
Loss: Maryn Swank (0-1) - 6.0 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 2 BB, 5 SO

Top Performers:

Becca Sexton - 7.0 IP, 0 ER, 2 H, 2 BB, 3 SO
Cadence Rieg - 1-3, 3 RBI, 1 2B
Rachael Blumenschine - 1-1, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Paige Eagleton - 1-3, 1 RBI

RECAP

Following just one hit through the first two innings, which was a lead-off hit by Brenna Westwood in the first, the Hornets got a pair of runners on in the third on a hit-by-pitch and fielder's choice. Allison McQueeney singled to left field which loaded the bases after Danielle McNeill beat out the throw at third. Two batters later Cadence Rieg stepped to the plate and delivered a bases-clearing, three RBI double to center field, putting SU up 3-0.

Still in the third, Paige Eagleton delivered an infield single to second which rolled slow enough for Rieg to score from second, extending the SU lead to 4-0.

Innings three through six, Becca Sexton retired 12 straight batters, helping maintain the SU advantage. The first two batters in the fourth for Juniata struck out, giving Sexton two of her three strikeouts on the day.

In the bottom of the sixth, Sarah Medellin drew a walk to kickstart the half inning before being replaced by pinch runner Ella Montgomery. Montgomery advanced to third on a throwing error which allowed Kara Watkins to reach first. After Watkins stole second, Blumenschine doubled to left field, scoring Montgomery for the 5-0 lead.

Sexton ended the game in the top of the seventh by retiring three of the four batters on to pop-ups and an out in foul territory caught by third baseman McNeill.

GAME TWO

Pitching Decisions:

Win: Taylor Smith (1-0) - 2.0 IP, 0 ER, 0 H, 1 BB, 1 SO
Loss: Gracie Ruch (0-1) - 0.1 IP, 0 ER, 1 H, 0 BB, 0 SO

Top Performers:

Rachael Blumenschine - 2-3, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 R
Cadence Rieg (pitching) - 5.0 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 2 SO
Allison McQueeney - 1-4, 2 RBI

RECAP

Juniata threatened to score early in the first inning as they drew a walk and put two runners in scoring position on a double down the left field line with just one out. Cadence Rieg got the next two batters to ground out and pop-up, ending the visitors scoring threat.

Rieg came out in the top half of the second inning and pitched a three-up and three-down inning with two groundouts to Brenna Westwood at shortstop and a swinging strikeout to end the frame.

In the third, with two outs and a runner on first, the Eagles picked up an infield single which put two runners on base. The very next batter popped up a ball to deep left field which the Hornets looked to have for the third out, but the ball bounced out of the fielder's glove, allowing two runs to score. Juniata led 2-0 through two and a half innings.

Shenandoah finally got on the board in game two thanks to a one-out solo home run by Rachael Blumenschine in the bottom of the third.

In the fifth inning, still trailing by one, the Hornets allowed the Eagles to load the bases on an error and two walks. With the bases full and two outs, Danielle McNeill dove for a groundball and snagged the ball before tapping third base for the force out to end the top of the fifth.

In the bottom of the inning, SU had just one runner one base, and two outs. Westwood came to the plate and kept the inning alive with a single down the right-field line, pushing Blumenschine to third. Allison McQueeney then hit an infield single to second base, allowing Blumenschine to score and tie the game at two.

Neither team produced any runs in the sixth and in the top of the seventh Taylor Smith pitched a one-two-three inning, giving SU a chance to win the game in the bottom of the frame.

Makayla Cox led off the bottom of the seventh with a double before McNeill reentered the game as a pinch runner. Blumenschine singled which advanced McNeill to third with no outs on the board. Blumenschine then stole second, putting two runners in scoring position. Now with one out, McQueeney contacted the ball enough for McNeill to beat out the throw attempt at home for the walk-off victory.