SALEM, Va. - The Bloomsburg University softball team scored four runs in the top of the fifth inning, which proved to be all the offense it would need, as the Huskies posted a 4-2 victory over West Liberty University on Sunday. The win, which was Bloomsburg's third straight and fifth in the last six games, moved the Huskies to 5-3 on the season. The Hilltoppers dropped to 2-4 on the year.

The Bloomsburg offense struggled out of the gates as the Huskies were held hitless, and struck out eight times, through the first four innings against West Liberty starter, Linda Hall. But, the bats came to life in the fifth. After junior Emily Mayhew (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) struck out to lead off the frame, senior Taylor Parker (Dewart, Pa./Warrior Run) singled to break up the no-hitter which began a string of four consecutive hits that gave the Huskies the lead.

West Liberty brought in Marley Thompson out of the bullpen and she promptly gave up back-to-back singles to junior Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) and senior Anna McElroy (Jessup, Pa./Valley View) to load the bases with one out. Sophomore Emily Getz (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown) put the Huskies on the board, and gave them the lead, with a two-run single that scored Parker and Nemeth for a 2-1 advantage. Two batters later, against Savanna Sieger - West Liberty's third pitcher of the inning - sophomore Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) singled to right center to drive home both McElroy and Getz to extend the Bloomsburg lead to 4-1.

The runs were enough for senior Mallory Tomaschik (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) who had it working in the circle on Sunday. The senior righthander allowed only two hits and two unearned runs to earn the victory. She walked one and struck out nine in the complete-game win.

The Hilltoppers struck first in the bottom of the first inning against Tomaschik on a two-out RBI double from Damia Mogielski. Tomaschik retired the first two batters of the inning before an error kept the inning alive and allowed Mogielski to plate the first run of the game.

Tomaschik settled down and allowed only one other baserunner - a one-out error in the fourth - until the Hilltoppers made things interesting in the bottom of the seventh. Tomaschik retired the first two batters before a double and a walk put runners at first and second with two outs. West Liberty would score its second run of the game on an error but, with the winning run at the plate, Tomaschik retired Nicki Mihalik on a flyout to left field to end the game.

Offensively, Bloomsburg had only the four consecutive hits it racked up in the four-run fifth inning.

The Huskies will head to Clermont, Florida for eight games in five days next week. Bloomsburg will start with two games on Tuesday, March 14 - against Auburn University (Mongomery) at 8:00 a.m. and then against Concord University at 1:00 p.m.