Sentinel photo by BOB HOCKENBROCK East Juniata’s Ryley Dressler applies the tag for an out during a rundown.

COCOLAMUS — Despite appearing lopsided early on, the East Juniata-Line Mountain softball game turned into the Tigers’ most competitive game of the season on Monday afternoon. But, ultimately the Eagles took the win, 10-7.

The Tigers (2-3) managed to rally after trailing the Eagles, 5-1, in the first inning.

EJ posted three runs in the third frame and two runs in the fourth, making it a 6-6 tie through four innings of play.

“This is the first competitive ballgame we’ve had. The four games until today have been lopsided. Two wins, two losses. But, we stayed in the battle. Defensively, we made a couple of bad decisions. But, we made up for them, came back and tied the game. We have to get some of our key batters on base in order to score… That’s the biggest challenge I think offensively is getting girls on base to get them to move around,” Tigers head coach Wes Diehl elaborated.

In the third inning, EJ got RBI singles from pitcher Marley Wilson and Landyn Cramer. Then, Eliza Hummel collected an RBI infield single.

In the fourth stanza, EJ’s Madison Snyder ripped a double into the gap in left-center. Later, Wilson would walk and Cramer would drive her in on an RBI infield single. But, the throw to first base was dropped and that allowed pinch runner Jordana Steffen to cross home plate, making it six all.

But, in the top of the fifth inning, the Eagles (5-5) loaded the bases for Madylinn Grindstaff, who cracked a two-run double into left-center field. The Eagles would take a 9-6 lead into the bottom of the fifth frame.

Each team would tack on a run in the sixth. The Eagles scored on a passed ball and the Tigers got an RBI single from Wilson.

The Tigers had a few chances to score additional runs in the third and sixth frames. In the third, EJ had a couple runners on before striking out looking in back-to-back at-bats. In the sixth, the bases were loaded with one out before the Tigers struck out looking and grounded out.

On the mound, EJ starting pitcher Marley Wilson struck out 15 Eagles in seven innings from the circle.

“My pitcher came back really good. Marley did a really good job. I know in the first inning she got behind the ball. She struggled a little bit, but once she established herself she really pitched well,” Diehl said.

Wilson struck out five of the final six Line Mountain batters she faced.

Monday’s game marked the Tigers’ first contest since April 4.

“We were supposed to have five games last week. We had none. They all got rescheduled because of weather and it puts you in the gym. It cancels things. It throws your whole schedule out of whack,” Diehl noted. “You practice for certain things and then by noon that day you find out now you have to practice all over again because it’s not going to happen. It’s a bummer. So, it is a confidence boost when you finally get to play and you see the weather start to break and you know you’re going to be outside for a good time. We look forward to that. Softball was meant to be an outdoor sport. When the weather pushes us back in the gym. It’s not softball, it’s just passing time.”

Next, EJ visits Halifax today at 4:30 p.m. then they travel to Upper Dauphin on Wednesday.