Softball | 4/10/2015 11:23:00 AM

STORYLINE
The Huskies softball team will have the rare home opener that also is Senior Day as the team finally plays at home on Saturday vs. Mansfield. Bloomsburg will honor its four seniors during the afternoon and will look to stretch its winning streak after a doubleheader sweep of Millersville early in the week.

The Huskies come into Saturday's action with a record of 9-7, 4-2 PSAC East, after sweeping a pair of games from Millersville on Monday by scores of 7-0 and 3-0. (Does not include yesterday's games at Lock Haven).

In the sweep of Millersville Sarah Bertoni (Nanticoke/Greater Nanticoke Area) went a combined 3-6 with a home run and six RBI, including five RBI in game one. Caitlin O'Connor (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) also went a combined 3-6 with two RBI for the Huskies, while Kayla McHale (Dillsburg/Northern) was 3-8 with three runs scored and two RBI.

In game one the Huskies got the combined shutout from Taylor Parker (Dewart/Warrior Run) and Sarah Bortner (Glenville/South Western) with Parker going three innings and Bortner the final four. Bortner got the win allowing just two hits and fanning six.

In game two Mallory Tomaschik (Catawissa/Southern Columbia) threw a two-hit shutout and fanned eight and did not walk a batter to earn the win.

On the season the Huskies are led in hitting by Kayla McHale (Dillsburg/Northern) who is batting .413 with a a team-high three homers and 13 RBI. She has also scored a team-high 14 runs. Natalie Quinlan (Drexel Hill/Upper Darby) is second at .318 with O'Connor third at .315 with a homer and 13 RBI. O'Connor leads the team in doubles with six.

In the circle Tomaschik is 3-2 with a 1.15 ERA, while Parker is 5-1 with a 1.41 ERA. Parker has fanned 41 in 49.2 innings, while Tomaschik has 24 K's in 36.2 innings.

SCOUTING MANSFIELD
Mansfield comes into Saturday's games with a record of 6-12-1, 1-9 in the PSAC East, after dropping a pair of games to East Stroudsburg, 3-2 and 4-2 on Monday. (Does not include yesterday's games at Kutztown).

Mansfield was led at the plate in game one by Courtney Bauder (2-3, one RBI, one run), Hannah Secord (1-3, one run) and Laura Lawson (one RBI).

In game two the Mountaineers got just three hits, including a double from Rachel Sterner and a two-run homer from Melanie Taylor. Chelsey Heatley suffered the loss going 3.2 innings and allowing four runs.

For the season, Bauder leads the team in batting at .354 with a two homers and 16 RBI, while Lawson is second at .308 with a homer and five RBI. Bauder also leads the team in runs scored with 12 and in doubles with five and triples with three. As a team the Mountaineers are batting .248 with 82 runs scored.

In the circle Ashley Inman is 5-5 with a 2.68 ERA and 47 strikeouts in 60 innings of pitching. Laura Knight has seen action in six games and is 1-0 with a 4.90 ERA.

HUSKIES TO HONOR SENIORS
Before the start of Saturday's games the Huskies will honor seniors Sarah Bertoni (Nanticoke/Greater Nanticoke Area), Caitlin O'Connor (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls), Erika Yanora (Tunkhannock/Tunkhannock) and Kayla McHale (Dillsburg/Northern).

Sarah is in her second season with the Huskies after transferring from Millersville. In her two seasons with the Huskies she is batting .352 with six homers and 32 RBI. In her first season with the Huskies she hit .352 and won eight games as a pitcher. She was named second team All-PSAC East a year ago and is a two-time PSAC Scholar-Athlete. While at Millersville she also earned PSAC East Pitcher of the Week honors twice.

Caitlin is a four year member of the team who is a Special Education major from Rockaway, N.J. Caitlin has seen action in 91 career games with 81 starts. For her career she is hitting .273 with five homers and 41 RBI. She is second on the team this season in RBI with 13 and has a team and career-high six doubles as well. In her career she has also seen time in the circle and has a career record of 11-2 with a 2.32 ERA.

Erika a four-year member of the team from Tunkhannock, Pa. She is a Mid-Level math major. In her career with the Huskies, Erika is batting .314 with eight homers and 75 runs batted in with 148 starts in 150 career games player. As a junior she hit .351 with four homers and 26 RBI. In her career she has named the PSAC Central Division Freshman of the Year as well as All-PSAC Central Division as a utility player as a sophomore; second team All-PSAC East and NFCA first team All-Atlantic region and PSAC East Athlete of the Week as a junior.

Kayla McHale (Dillsburg/Northern) is a four-year starter from Dillsburg, Pa. The Exercise Science major has played in 152 games with 144 career starts. For her career she is batting .380 with 97 runs scored, 187 career hits with 10 triples, five homers and 58 RBI. Her 10 triples rank her 12th on the school's all-time list. As a sophomore when she was named All-PSAC Central Division while hitting .401 with a homer and 13 RBI and last year was named second team All-PSAC East. Earlier this season she was named the PSAC East Athlete of the Week and currently leads the team with a .413 average.