FRANCIS MARION BOX SCORE

ARMSTRONG ATLANTIC BOX SCORE

FLORENCE, SC—The Bloomsburg University softball team swept a pair of games on Sunday at the Patriot Invitational in Florence, SC. The Huskies beat Francis Marion University 1-0 in the opener and knocked off eight-ranked Armstrong Atlantic 5-4 in game two.

In game the Huskies made a second inning run hold up as it beat the host school Francis Marion. Chrissy Belko (Old Forge/Old Forge) singled to lead off the inning and went to second on a walk to Lyndsay Busler (Mechanicsburg/Cumberland Valley). A fielder's choice ground out by Caitlin O'Connor (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) retired Belko at third and line out left the Huskies with two on a two out. Busler and O'Connor each moved up a base on a wild pitch with Busler coming in to score on a single by Hannah Moir (Mount Laurel, NJ/Lenape ).
 
O'Connor, making her first career start, scattered two hits before being relieved by Cait Paine (Lebanon/Lebanon) with two on and one out in the bottom of the sixth. Paine got a ground out and a strikeout to end the sixth, then retired the Patriots in order to earn the save.
 
Belko went 3-3 for the Huskies in the game getting three of the team's five hits.
 
In game two, the Huskies beat nationally-ranked Armstrong Atlantic State University (AASU) 5-4, their second win over the Pirates in as many days.
 
AASU went on top 1-0 in the first inning before the Huskies took a 2-1 lead with a pair of runs in the second inning. With two outs Mandi Baer (Douglassville/Daniel Boone) doubled home two runs to put Bloomsburg on top. The Pirates went back on top 3-2 in the third by scoring two runs on two hits.
 
Bloomsburg came back in the bottom of the third to tie the game. Sam Pientack (Archbald/Valley View) walked to lead off the inning, then moved to second on a bunt. Belko singled then singled with Pientack stopping at third. The center fielder on the play though held the ball and Pientack came in to score.
 
The Pirates took a 4-3 lead with a run in the top of the sixth before the Huskies tied the game in the bottom half of the frame. With two outs Pientack was intentionally walked. Rachel Fredell (Dingmans Ferry/Delaware Valley) then singled with center with Pientack advancing to third. On the throw to third the ball went over the head of the third baseman allowing Pientack to score the tying run.
 
The Huskies won in the bottom of the seventh inning. With two out and Raychelle Kuhns (Williamsport/Loyalsock) on first, Mandy Leach (Milford/Delaware Valley) singled putting runners at first and second. Baer then singled down the left field line scoring Kuhns with the winning run.
 
Baer went 3-5 with three RBI, while Kayla McHale (Dillsburg/Northern) was 3-4 with a run scored. Paine went the distance to earn the win. The junior scattered seven hits and fanned three and did not issue a walk.
 
Bloomsburg, 9-1, will play at Wingate on Monday at 2 p.m.