BLOOMSBURG – Redshirt sophomore Ryuta Amaike (Whitehall/Whitehall) pitched the Huskies to a doubleheader split with visiting Kutztown on Saturday afternoon at sunny Danny Litwhiler Field with a complete game shutout in the nightcap for a 4-0 Huskies triumph after a game one 5-3 setback in eight innings.
 
The Huskies now stand at 7-13 overall on the year and 6-10 in PSAC East play while Kutztown moves to 13-10, 5-11.
 
GAME ONE – Kutztown 5, Bloomsburg 3 (8 innings)  |  Box Score
 
The Huskies led for the majority of the opener behind fantastic work on the mound from senior Tyler Hill (Lehighton/Lehighton), but a late rally from the Golden Bears spoiled the effort.
 
Bloomsburg struck first in the third inning when Corey Baiada (Harleysville/LaSalle) blasted his first home run of the year out to right field on a full-count delivery from Kutztown's Paul Piromalli for a 1-0 lead.
 
The lead grew to 3-0 in the fifth when Baiada started the uprising with a one-out single to right, moving to third on a double down the left field line off the bat of Brady West (Harleysville/North Penn). Tyler Benson (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) then got the job done with runners in scoring position, punching a ball through the right side to score Baiada and West and stretch the BU lead to three.
 
Kutztown was stifled through five innings by Hill, but got on the board in the sixth after using a pair of Huskies errors for an unearned run when Thomas Romano brought a run home with a sacrifice fly.
 
Hill was dominant at times, tying his career high of eight strikeouts with 6.2 innings of work. Five of the hits against the senior left-hander were of the infield variety, including two in the seventh when the Golden Bears rallied for the tie.
 
Pinch hitter Ricky Gorrell reached with a lead off roller to second, but was forced out one batter later on a fielder's choice. Brandon Martinez then laid down a perfect bunt for a hit, placing runners at first and second with one away. Brady McNabb then walked on four pitches to load the bases, setting the stage for Ryan Cox who tied the game by driving a single back up the middle for the 3-3 deadlock. Reliever Cody Heane (McClure/Indian Valley) put out the fire, but the damage was done to send the game to extras.
 
Kutztown did all of its damage in the eighth with two outs. After Heane coaxed a pop up on the infield and then earned a strikeout, Brandon Hickey got aboard with a two-out double. Heane looked to be out of the jam after coaaxing a ground ball, but an error allowed the inning to continue. A walk loaded the bases for Martinez who roped a double down the left field line for the 5-3 advantage, Kutztown's first lead of the day.
 
Bloomsburg went in order in the bottom of the inning against Piromalli who finished with a complete game to move to 4-2 on the season. He scattered six hits, allowing three runs and did not walk a batter while striking out nine with 82 of his 114 pitches for strikes.
 
Baiada went 2-for-3 with two runs to lead the Huskies.
 
GAME TWO – Bloomsburg 4, Kutztown 0  |  Box Score
 
The Huskies scored early and Amaike made the lead stick with an excellent outing on the hill in game two.
 
Bloomsburg seized a 1-0 lead in its first trip to the plate. Austin Edgette (Exton/Downingtown East) and Eric Frain (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan) posted back-to-back one-out singles to start with Edgette then scoring from third on an RBI groundout from Damin Muth (Breinigsville/Parkland) for the 1-0 advantage.
 
The hosts got some insurance in the third inning when Frain drove a ball through the right side for a two-RBI single and a 3-0 lead. Another run crossed the plate in the home fourth when Shane Woelfel (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) blasted a ball off the Kutztown first baseman for an RBI single, scoring Ryan Kirman (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Regional) who had singled to lead off the frame.
 
That was more than enough for Amaike (1-2) who remained in control throughout. He scattered six hits and did not walk a batter, striking out four for his first career complete game shutout.  Amaike tossed 70 of his 101 pitches for strikes.
 
Edgette was perfect at the plate, going 3-for-3 with two runs scored. Frain also had two hits and two RBIs with Kirman delivering a pair of hits and a run scored. West and Woelfel each tallied stolen bases as well.
 
The Huskies are back in action Monday afternoon, hosting Mansfield at home as PSAC East play continues.