Making their first appearance in the PSAC tournament since 1997, the Huskies carried added pressure to find success. “Our guys really wanted the win given our history,” comments BU coach Mike Collins. “Every guy competed every pitch, and we were helped by a good first inning, two solid pitching performances, and great team offense.”

 

The Huskies wasted no time getting on the board as Keith Meyer (Richboro/Council Rock South) picked up a lead-off walk and Howie Deemer (Washington, N.J./Belvidere) followed with a double to right field. Vince Smarrelli (Mt. Airy, MD/Urbana) came through with a big shot off the wall in left field to score two.

 

Kramer started hot and connected with his second pitch to send the ball over the 350-foot left center wall for his second home run over the year. Kramer's shot added three to the scoreboard, putting the Huskies in front 5-0. Brad Smith (Morgantown/Twin Valley) also hit in the inning, giving BU four in the inning.

 

Slippery Rock responded with four runs of their own in the first, and slashed the Bloomsburg lead to 5-4.

 

In the third, Nickolas Eversole (Lewistown/Indian Valley) doubled to left field, and Kramer immediately followed with a double the other direction to bring Eversole home for a 6-4 advantage. The Huskies went on to load the bases in the inning but Slippery Rock starter Zach Jeney escaped without further damage.

 

Joey Ianiero (Bloomsburg/Central Columbia) singled to lead off the fourth inning, and Jerry Lloyd (Mifflinburg/Mifflinburg) followed suit with a hit of his own, prompting SRU coach Jeff Messer to bring Jeney off the mound. Jeney (6-3) was hit with his third loss of the season after yielding eight hits and five earned runs with only one strikeout in three innings.

 

With ducks on the pond, Eversole doubled to left to bat in a run, and Kramer recorded his third consecutive hit for another run to give Bloomsburg the 8-4 advantage.

 

BU starter Kyle Hunter (Lehighton/Lehighton) pitched solid through the fourth inning, but after yielding a pair of hits to start the fifth, Collins called on Mike Rossetti (Phillipsburg, NJ/Phillipsburg) to take over on the mound. After walking his first batter, Rossetti settled in to force an infield fly and ground double play to shut The Rock out of the inning.

 

In the sixth, Slippery Rock finally struck blood against Rossetti, sneaking a run to the plate on two hits to narrow the gap to 8-5.

 

Bloomsburg found good luck in the seventh inning by virtue of bad luck that struck Slippery Rock. Kramer reached first on a dropped third strike, and Aaron Russell (Montoursville/Montoursville) got a single off a shot down the left line. Meyer's sacrifice bunt was too tough to field, giving him his only hit and RBI of the day.

Russell came to the plate on a wild pitch, and Deemer, who reached on fielder's choice went to third. On another dropped third strike, Ianiero reached first and Deemer scored. Despite four strikeouts in the inning by George Hebert, the Huskies scored three for an 11-5 lead.

 

Slippery Rock managed a lead-off double in the bottom of the ninth, and a subsequent single brought one run around, but the Maroon and Gold easily held off the effort, and Bloomsburg picked up the 11-6 victory.

 

Rossetti (5-5) earned the win by way of a six-strikeout five-inning effort; he allowed only two runs and one walk.

 

The win is the first postseason victory for Bloomsburg since 1995, when the Huskies advanced all the way to the final round of the NCAA tournament.

 

For the second straight year, Johnstown's Point Stadium hosts the PSAC championship event. For the players, the field is larger than any in the conference, and all four of the day's tournament games featured higher-than-average hitting and scoring.

 

Bloomsburg will advance to face either Millersville or IUP on Thursday. Game time is slated for 6:30 p.m.