CLERMONT, Fla. - For the second consecutive day on its annual spring trip to Florida, the Bloomsburg University softball team split a pair of contests on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskies opened the day with a 5-1 victory over Fairmont State but then dropped an identical 5-1 decision to Augustana (S.D.) to close out action on day two of the southern trip. Bloomsburg moved to 7-5 on the young season. The Fighting Falcons dropped to 6-12 while the Vikings improved to 9-6.

In the opener, the Huskies got a strong pitching performance from senior Taylor Parker (Dewart, Pa./Warrior Run) en route to the 5-1 victory over Fairmont State. Parker allowed one unearned run on five hits in the complete game victory. She walked three and struck out nine.

Bloomsburg jumped in front 2-0 with a pair of runs in the bottom of the second - both of which were unearned. Junior Emily Mayhew (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) drove home the first run with a one-out RBI single as she plated senior Mallory Tomaschik (Catawissa, Pa./Southern Columbia) who had reached on an error. Two batters later, senior Anna McElroy (Jessup, Pa./Valley View) drove home the second run with an RBI single that scored sophomore Marissa Shelhamer (Bloomsburg, Pa./Central Columbia), who earlier reached on an infield single.

Junior Kalynn Wheeland (South Williamsport, Pa./South Williamsport) added to the Huskies' lead in the bottom of the third when she belted her second home run in as many days - a solo shot - to extend the lead to 3-0.

The Fighting Falcons scored their only run in the top of the fourth to cut the lead to 3-1. But, the Huskies scored twice in the bottom half of the inning which proved to be the final scoring of the game. McElroy started the rally with a two-out walk. Then, back-to-back singles by sophomore Taylor Winkelman (Springfield, Pa/Springfield) and junior Maggie Hall (Cooperstown, N.Y./Cooperstown) loaded the bases for Wheeland, who broke the game open with a two-run single to extend the lead to 5-1.

Parker did the rest as she recorded five of her nine strikeouts over the last three innings to preserve the win.

Wheeland led the Huskies at the plate as she went 2-for-4 with a home run and three runs batted in. Winkelman added a pair of hits in the victory.

Against Augustana, the Huskies' bats were silenced by Olivia Wolters as Bloomsburg could manage only a single run in the top of the sixth inning against the freshman.

The Vikings took control in the bottom of the third when Sarah Kennedy belted a three-run home run off of Tomaschik to take a 3-0 advantage. The Huskies got their run in the top of the sixth on an RBI double from Hall which drove home junior Bridget Casey (Perkasie, Pa./Pennridge) who led off the frame with a single.

But, Augustana answered with two runs in the bottom of the sixth and then kept Bloomsburg off the board in the seventh to post the 5-1 win.

Casey and Parker each had two of Bloomsburg's seven hits.

The Huskies will have Thursday off but then will play a pair of games on Friday, March 17. Bloomsburg will play Saint Ambrose University (Iowa) at 1:00 p.m. and then will square off against Nova Southeastern at 3:30 p.m. in Clermont, Florida.