GAME ONE  |    GAME TWO

BLOOMSBURG—Playing for the first time in 10 days, the Bloomsburg University softball team shook of the rust and posted a sweep of its doubleheader with Lock Haven on Tuesday winning 3-0 and 7-5. The Huskies have now won 15 straight games and improved to 29-4 on the year, 10-0 in the PSAC Central. The winning streak is the longest for the team since a 19-game streak in the 2011 season.
 
Bloomsburg got great pitching from junior Sarah Bortner (Glenville, Pa./South Western) in the opener who tossed a five-hit shutout and picked up a save in game two, while freshman Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) went a combined 6-8 in the twinbill and scored three runs.
 
In game one the Huskies' Bortner and Lock Haven's Bekah Slattery were locked in a pitcher's duel through the first two-and-a-half innings with the Bald Eagles getting the only hit. In the bottom of the third the Huskies got on the board with back-to-back two-out hits. Winkelman doubled to center and scored easily on Emily Mayhew (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge)'s single to make it 1-0.
 
Lock Haven threatened in the top of the fourth inning getting two runners on base with two outs, but Bortner got a strikeout swinging to end the inning. Bloomsburg also threatened in the fourth inning putting two runners on with one out. Slattery, however, got a pop up and a strikeout to end the threat.
 
The Huskies made it 2-0 in the fifth. Winkelman reached on a bunt single and went went to second on an infield single by Mayhew. Taylor Parker (Dewart, Pa./Warrior Run) then hit a ball to shortstop, but Winkelman beat the attempt for a force play loading the bases. Kalynn Wheeland (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) then singled scoring Winkelman. Slattery, though, worked out of further trouble to keep it a 2-0 game.
 
In the the bottom of the sixth the Huskies got an insurance run when Winkelman doubled home Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) who had reached on an error. In the top of the seventh Bortner retired the side in order to win for the 13^th time. She finished with two walks and four strikeouts.
 
The nightcap saw Lock Haven get off to a quick start when Jessica Strouse hit an opposite field homer to right to lead off the game against Taylor Parker (Dewart, Pa./Warrior Run). The Huskies came back in the bottom of the second and took a 2-1 lead. Erica Keen (Gordonville, Pa./Bishop Shanahan) drew a one-out walk and went to second on a ground out. Bridget Casey (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) then singled in Keen to tie the game. Hall then singled with Casey moving to third. Winkelman then reached on an error with Casey scoring the go-ahead run.
 
Bloomsburg made it 4-1 in the third. Parker doubled and Wheeland singled in front of the left fielder to put runners at first and second. After a ground out moved the runners up a base, Natalie Quinlan (Drexel Hill, Pa./Upper Darby) singled home both runners to extend the Huskies lead.
 
Bloomsburg made it 5-1 in fifth when Parker led off with a homer to right field that hit the top of the fence and bounced over. It was her PSAC-leading 11^th homer of the season. Lock Haven rallied and cut the lead to 5-4 in the top of the sixth.
 
The Huskies added some insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth. With one out Winkelman beat out an infield single with Mayhew following with a single to right center. The speedy WInkelman came racing around to score and make it 6-4. With pinch-runner Abbey Remley (Berwick, Pa./Berwick Area) in for Mayhew, Parker scored Remley on an RBI double for a 7-4 lead. The Bald Eagles scored one unearned run in the seventh off Bortner, who came on in relief of Parker, but the junior slammed door shut on the comeback getting a line out to left to end the game.
 
Parker got the win in the circle, while going 3-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
 
The Huskies are back in action on Wednesday at Clarion starting at 2:30 p.m. for a doubleheader.