KUTZTOWN, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University baseball team played a pair of one-run games at Kutztown on Tuesday afternoon, falling short in a game one extra innings battle before rallying for an 8-7 game two victory and a doubleheader split.
 
The Huskies move to 10-14 overall on the year and 9-11 in PSAC East play while Kutztown is now 15-13 overall and 6-12 in conference.
 
GAME ONE – Kutztown 1, Bloomsburg 0 (8 innings)  |  Box Score
 
The Huskies pitching staff chased history late into the game, not allowing a hit until the seventh, but eventually fell, 1-0, in extra innings of a pitchers' duel.
 
Freshman Brandon Birkhead (Doylestown/Central Bucks East) made his first career start, and held the Golden Bears hitless through 3.2 innings. Birkhead was able to work his way out of trouble after five walks while also striking out two.
 
In the Kutztown second, the Golden Bears loaded the bases with one out, but Birkhead responded with a strikeout and coaxed a ground out to put out the fire.
 
Kutztown loaded the bases again in the fourth with two outs, chasing Birkhead from the game. Alex Carpenter (South Williamsport/South Williamsport) came on in relief and got out of the jam with a line out to shortstop.
 
Bloomsburg, too, had its chances. The Huskies loaded the bases in the fourth after singles from Damin Muth (Breinigsville/Parkland), Tim Ravel (Sinking Spring/Wilson) and Corey Baiada (Harleysville/LaSalle), but Kutztown starter Matt Swarmer picked up a strikeout to retire the side.
 
In the seventh, the Huskies again loaded the bases. Shane Woelfel (Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah) started the uprising with a one-out infield single and Brady West (Harleysville/North Penn) reached following a strikeout and an error from the Kutztown catcher before Tyler Benson (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) walked. Swarmer coaxed a groundout, however, to again get out of trouble.
 
Carpenter kept the no-hitter going through six innings. A hit batter put the Kutztown leadoff man aboard in the seventh for Clay Sebesky who put a bunt attempt down between the mound and first base that was unplayable for the defense and did not draw a throw for the first hit of the game by Kutztown.
 
Kutztown eventually placed runners at second and third when Bloomsburg's regular No. 1 starter Tyler Hill (Lehighton/Lehighton) came on in relief and delivered a ground ball that allowed Eric Frain (Philadelphia/Archbishop Ryan) to throw out the runner from third at home before a fly ball out ended the inning and sent the game to extras.
 
After the Huskies went in order in the top of the eighth, Kutztown scored a walk off game-winner from Thomas Romano who singled to left center, scoring Travis Kreitz with the winning run.
 
Swarmer was excellent on the mound for Kutztown, striking out 15 batters and walking just one in a complete game effort to move to 4-3 on the year.
 
Carpenter tossed 2.2 scoreless innings with a strikeout for Bloomsburg. Zach Newmyer (New Cumberland/Red Land) (0-2) was tagged with the loss, allowing one run on two hits in the eighth.
 
GAME TWO – Bloomsburg 8, Kutztown 7  |  Box Score

Kutztown appeared to be on the way to a doubleheader sweep after taking a 5-0 lead just two innings in.

Bloomsburg got on the board in the fourth, taking advantage of a throwing error from Kutztown that allowed Muth to score all the way from second.

Kutztown extended its lead to 7-1, however, in the fourth with RBI singles from Ryan Cox and Brandon Hickey.

The Huskies came all the way back in the fifth, sending 11 men to the plate. Before the inning was over, Bloomsburg had posted five hits and took full advantage of two more Kutztown errors. The biggest blow came off the bat of Ravel who stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and brought all three runners home by blasting a double to right center. Ryan Kirman (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Regional) then delivered a single through the left side, plating Ravel. After an infield pinch-hit single from Baiada, West punched a single past shortstop which allowed Cy Treaster (Lewistown/Mifflin County) to score the tying run.

Bloomsburg took its first lead of the day on what ultimately became the winning run when Kirman singled with one out in the seventh. Kirman moved into scoring position by stealing second and then came home on yet another error from the Kutztown defense.

Cody Heane (McClure/Indian Valley) (2-2) picked up his second win in as many days by working three innings of scoreless relief out of the bullpen. Zachary Meyer (Muncy Valley/Sullivan County) started and went 3.1 innings, allowing four earned runs on eight hits and Jared Schaffer (Perkasie/Pennridge) tossed two-thirds of an inning.

Kirman had his second straight day with a three-hit game, also scoring twice. Ravel collected two hits as well in the second game.

After splitting the season series with Kutztown, the Huskies move on to take on Shippensburg with a four-game set beginning on the road Friday before shifting to Danny Litwhiler Field on Saturday.