WILLIAMSTON, N.C. - The Bloomsburg University baseball team opened the 2017 regular season with a split against the University of Charleston on Saturday. The Huskies won game one by a 7-6 final in eight innings before dropping game two by an 11-4 decision. The Golden Eagles moved to 2-2 overall on the young season.

In the opener, the Huskies scored the winning run when freshman Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury), who led off the inning with a walk, scored on a wild pitch. Sophomore Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) came on in relief in the bottom of the eighth to earn his first collegiate victory. The Golden Eagles got a runner to third base in the inning, but Zezza induced a line out to center field to end the game.

Charleston got on the board with a run in the bottom of the first inning against redshirt junior Zach Meyer (Muncy Valley, Pa./Sullivan County). The Huskies answered with a run in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1. Sophomore Joey Wrabel (Harrisburg, Pa./Bishop McDevitt) started the rally with a one-out single and later scored on a sacrifice fly from redshirt junior Austin Edgette (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East).

The Golden Eagles answered with a run in the bottom of the third inning to regain a one-run lead, 2-1.

Cooperman was involved in the top of the sixth as the Huskies took their first lead of the game. Sophomore Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) led off the inning with a walk and advanced to second on a one-out single from redshirt junior Cy Treaster (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County). After a sacrifice bunt from freshman Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) put runners at second and third with two outs, Cooperman came up to the plate and reached on an error which allowed both runners to score to give the Huskies a 3-2 advantage.

In the bottom half of the frame, however, the Golden Eagles tied the game at 3-3 with a single run against Meyer to set up some seventh-inning fireworks.

In the Bloomsburg half of the frame, junior Tyler Benson (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) led off the inning with a double and scored when senior Damin Muth (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland) belted his first home run of the season to give the Huskies a 5-3 lead. Muth was second on the team in round trippers last season with 10.

The Huskies, however, were not done. Redshirt senior Ryuta Amaike (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) doubled with two outs and then scored on an RBI single from redshirt freshman Aaron Ovelman (Millville, Pa./Millville), who replaced Treaster in the bottom of the sixth. It was Ovelman's first collegiate at bat.

Redshirt freshman James Reardon IV (Springfield, Pa./Springfield) was brought in out of the bullpen to attempt to secure the lead. However, Charleston's Gianfranco Morello tied the game at 6-6 with a three-run home run to force extra innings. All three runs were unearned thanks to a one-out error that allowed the inning to continue.

Meyer went six innings and allowed three runs (two earned) on three hits. He walked two and struck out five. Reardon IV allowed three unearned runs and two walks but struck out three in his inning of work. Zezza walked one in his inning for his first career win.

At the plate, Muth went 2-for-4 with a home run and two runs batted in. Amaike was 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles while Benson was 1-for-3 and also walked twice.

In game two, Charleston touched up junior starter Mike Vranesich (Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo) for three runs in the top of the first and never looked back as it cruised to an 11-4 victory.

The Huskies got a run back in the bottom of the first inning when freshman Blake Gular (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.

But, Charleston scored four more in the top of the fourth to take a commanding 7-1 advantage. Bloomsburg cut the deficit to five with a run in the bottom half of the fourth when freshman Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock) drove home Swiger with an RBI double.

The Golden Eagles added three more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth to build up an 11-2 lead. Bloomsburg scored its final two runs in the bottom of the seventh on an RBI double from Edgette and a run-scoring single off the bat of Muth.

Vranesich lasted three and one-third innings and allowed four runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out two to suffer the loss. Junior Mike Warren (Garnerville, N.Y./St. Joseph Regional) closed out the game and allowed seven runs on eight hits in three and two-thirds innings. He did not walk a batter and struck out four.

Shiffer led the Huskies with a pair of hits in four trips. Nick Wilson had the big bat for the Golden Eagles as he was 2-for-2 with two home runs, three runs batted in, and two base-on-balls..

The Huskies will battle Pitt-Johnstown in a twinbill on Sunday in Williamston, North Carolina. First pitch of game one is scheduled for 9:00 a.m.