LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Bloomsburg University baseball team dropped a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division doubleheader at Lock Haven on Thursday afternoon by scores of 4-2 in extra innings and 2-0.
The Huskies now stand at 6-8 overall on the season and 5-5 in the PSAC East while Lock Haven improves to 6-12, 5-7.
GAME ONE – Lock Haven 4, Bloomsburg 2 (8 innings) | Box Score (HTML)
A two-out, two-strike walk off home run from leadoff man Tyson Petersheim gave the Bald Eagles a 4-2 win in extra innings in the day's first day.
The Huskies claimed an early lead, scoring a run in the second. Tyler Benson (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) led off with a single to left and moved to third with two outs. Benson came home on an RBI single down the line from Brady West (Harleysville/North Penn) for the 1-0 advantage.
Lock Haven tied the game with a run in the third following a run-scoring single from Ryan Koch for the 1-1 tie. The Bald Eagles then seized the lead in the fourth when a run crossed the plate following a fielder's choice.
Bloomsburg fought back to tie when Ryan Kirman (Little Silver, N.J./Red Bank Regional) walked with the bases loaded in the sixth. A fly out to center field ended the inning before the Huskies could do any further damage. That was a theme of the game as Bloomsburg would strand 12 runners on base in the contest.
The Huskies had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the seventh after placing runners at second and third with one out after a sacrifice bunt from Damin Muth (Breinigsville/Parkland) put two runners in scoring position, but again the Lock Haven pitching stood up when the home team needed it most.
Lock Haven had its own troubles with men in scoring position, stranding 10 runners on the day. The Bald Eagles saw great chances pass in the sixth and seventh, putting runners at second and third in both innings but Bloomsburg's Cody Heane (McClure/Indian Valley) was able to shut the door to send the game to extras.
Heane retired the first two batters of the eighth, but Aaron Cummings singled with two strikes to set the stage for Petersheim who ended the game with his home run.
Mike Warren (Garnerville, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional) made his second start of the year and threw four innings, allowing two runs on four hits while walking one and striking out one. Heane (0-1) worked 3.2 innings of relief, surrendering two runs with four strikeouts.
Brett Morrison started for Lock Haven and lasted 5.2 innings and allowed two runs on six hits with six strikeouts. Tyler Carns (1-0) earned the win with two-thirds of an inning out of the bullpen.
GAME TWO – Lock Haven 2, Bloomsburg 0 | Box Score (HTML)
Two runs in the bottom of the third were enough to send Lock Haven to a doubleheader sweep in a game two pitchers' duel.
Huskies starter Tyler Hill (Lehighton/Lehighton) (3-1), the reigning PSAC East Pitcher of the Week, and Lock Haven starter Parker Watson (1-1) locked up nearly pitch for pitch, but Lock Haven broke through in the third for the difference.
Five hits in the inning allowed the Bald Eagles to score twice – RBI singles from Austin Botts and Justin Sleigh back-to-back gave the hosts the lead.
The Huskies threatened in the fifth when Benson reached on an infield single and West moved him to second with a hit to center, but the runners were left stranded after a line out and a ground out. In the sixth, Frain singled and stole second to get into scoring position with two outs, but he was also left on base.
Finally, in the seventh, Bloomsburg made one last challenge. Benson singled to lead off and was still at first base with two outs when Brian Almand (Haddon Township, NJ/Paul VI) singled through the left side to put the tying run on base. A ground out ended the threat, however, leaving the Huskies scoreless for the first time this year.
Hill was tagged with the tough luck loss, throwing all six innings while allowing two runs on eight hits. He walked one and struck out one.
Watson was excellent, scattering five hits in a complete game effort. He walked just one and struck out seven, needing just 98 pitches to complete the game.
Bloomsburg is back in action on Saturday, starting a four-game series with nationally ranked Millersville on the road.
