GAME ONE BOX | GAME TWO BOX

BLOOMSBURG—Winning one game with a walk-off hit is exciting. Doing it twice in the same day is pretty rare, but that was the case for the Bloomsburg University softball team on Wednesday. The Huskies beat Lock Haven by identical 5-4 scores with game one going 11 innings with both games ending on walk-off hits by Bloomsburg.
 
In game one Sarah Bortner (Glenville/South Western) delivered a one out single to plate Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) with the winning run, while in game two Erica Keen (Gordonville/Bishop Shanahan) had a clutch single which scored Valerie Carcasses (Barnegat, NJ/Barnegat) with the game-ending run in the bottom of the seventh.
 
The opener saw Lock Have jump out to 2-0 lead in the top of the first against Huskies starter Taylor Parker (Dewart/Warrior Run) with Lady Eagles getting an RBI double and RBI triple in the inning. Lock Haven made it 3-0 in the second getting three more hits.
 
In the third the Huskies brought in Sarah Bortner (Glenville/South Western) who allowed and RBI hit to make it 4-0. But that run would turn out to be the final run for the Lady Eagles. Bloomsburg got one back in the third when Emily Mayhew (Perkasie/Pennridge) hit a solo homer to left to make it 3-1.
 
Meanwhile in the circle Bortner was settling into a groove allowing just a fourth inning single up to extra innings. Offensively Bloomsburg tied the game in the fifth inning scoring three times.
 
With one out Holly Peacock (Williamsport/Jersey Shore) hit a solo homer to make it 4-2. Mayhew then followed with a double. After a strikeout, Sarah Bertoni (Nanticoke/Greater Nanticoke Area) hit a two-run homer to tie the game at 4-4. The Huskies did get runners at first and second with two outs after the Bertoni hit, but could not score.
 
In extra innings Lock Haven got a two-out hit in the eighth, but did not score, while the Huskies got a runner to second in the ninth with two outs, but did not score.
 
Going to the international tie-breaker ruler in the 10^th (a runner placed on second to start the inning), both Lock Haven and Bloomsburg worked out of trouble to keep it 4-4.
 
In the top of the 11^th the Lady Eagles got a runner to third with one out, but Bortner got a strike out and a fly out to end the inning.
 
In the bottom of the 11^th Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) started at second and went to third on a bunt by Bridget Casey (Perkasie/Pennridge). Bortner then drilled a hard single to right center scoring Hall with the winning run.
 
Bortner finished with nine innings of relief allowing just four hits (just two over the final eight innings) while striking out five and walking none.


Bertoni went 2-4 with two RBI, while Mayhew was 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
 
Game two started much like game one with Lock Haven getting off to a quick start. The Lady Eagles got four straight hits to open the game and led after one inning 3-0.
 
The Huskies changed pitchers in the second inning brining in Bertoni. After allowing a leadoff walk in, the senior retired Lock Haven in order in the second.
 
Offensively the Huskies got two runs back in the third with Erika Yanora (Tunkhannock/Tunkhannock) and Caitlin O'Connor (Rockaway, NJ/Morris Knolls) getting RBI hits.
 
Lock Haven made it 4-2 with a run in the fourth before the Huskies make it 4-3 with a run in the bottom of the fourth. With the bases loaded Yanora hit one to second base with the fielder throwing home. McElroy, who had walked, beat throw home to cut into the lead.
 
It stayed 4-3 going to the bottom of the seventh. O'Connor singled to lead off and was pinch run for by Remley. Bortner then reached on fielder's choice with Remley out at second. Carcasses then went the opposite way to left with a hit putting runners at first and second. After a strikeout for the second out, McElroy singled to shallow right with Bortner scoring and Carcasses moving to third. Keen then stroked the a line drive that tailed away in left field and easily fell in safely with Bortner scoring the winning run.
 
Bertoni got the win with six innings of relief allowing just five hits, one run with five strike outs and one walk. Keen finished 2-3 with an RBI, while O'Connor was 2-4 with an RBI.
 
Bloomsburg goes to 16-8, 11-3 in the PSAC East, while Lock Haven falls to 10-20, 6-10 in the PSAC East. The Huskies host Kutztown on Friday at 2:30 p.m.