SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. - For the second consecutive day, the Bloomsburg University baseball team split a doubleheader at Shippensburg University as the games, which were originally scheduled to be played at Danny Litwhiler Field, were played at Fairchild Field on Saturday afternoon. The Raiders took game one by an 8-1 final before the Huskies rebounded for a 7-4 victory in the nightcap. Bloomsburg moved to 12-9 overall and 2-2 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division while Shippensburg moved to 6-11-1 overall and 2-2 in league play.

Due to the unplayable field conditions after the heavy snow that hit the Bloomsburg area last week, the teams decided to play the games at Shippensburg with the Huskies serving as the home team for both contests.

In game one, the Raiders' offense backed a solid performance from starter Gabe Mosser to earn an 8-1 victory. Mosser went the distance as he allowed a run on six hits, walked one, and struck out ten to improve to 2-3 on the year.

Sophomore Trey Hinkle (Macungie, Pa./Emmaus) was not as fortunate for the Huskies as he lasted just three and two-thirds innings and allowed seven runs (five earned) on eight hits. He fell to 2-1 on the year.

After a scoreless first inning by both teams, the Raiders plated three runs in the top of the second - all with two outs - to take a 3-0 advantage. Shippensburg's Tommy Baggett drove home the first run of the inning with an RBI single and then the Raiders took advantage of back-to-back Huskies' errors to plate the other two runs.

Bloomsburg tried to answer in the bottom of the second as freshman Andrew Holmes (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township) drew a two-out walk which was followed by back-to-back singles from freshmen Nate Krizan (Montoursville, Pa./Loyalsock) and Chad Cooperman (Allentown, Pa./Salisbury) to load the bases. However, Mosser was able to retire redshirt junior Austin Edgette (Exton, Pa./Downingtown East) on a fly ball to left field to end the threat.

Jake Kennedy extended the lead to 4-0 in the top of the third with a two-out solo home run to left on the first pitch from Hinkle. But, the Huskies responded in the bottom of the third to cut the lead to 4-1. Sophomore Ryan Shiffer (Toms River, N.J./Toms River South) led off the inning with a single and then advanced to second when junior Tyler Benson (Montville, N.J./Montville Township) singled. After a flyout, redshirt senior Ryuta Amaike (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) reached on an error to load the bases for the second straight inning. Freshman Cole Swiger (Maple Glen, Pa./Upper Dublin) was then able to lift a fly ball to center field for a sacrifice fly to bring home Shiffer for, what proved to be, the Huskies' only run.

But, in the fourth, Shippensburg chased Hinkle as it plated three more runs - two on a home run from Cash Gladfelter - to take a 7-1 lead. Sophomore Jeremy Zezza (Exeter, Pa./Wyoming Area) came on in relief but unleashed a wild pitch that allowed the third run of the inning to score.

Zezza allowed one more to the Raiders in the top of the fifth when Baggett had his second RBI single of the game. Zezza slammed the door after that, but the Huskies only got one runner on base - a two-out single from Shiffer in the seventh - over the final three innings.

Shiffer and Benson each finished with two of Bloomburg's six hits in the opener. Zezza, meanwhile, went three and a-third innings of relief and allowed a run on two hits while striking out two.

Amaike got the ball in game two and was in complete command as he helped the Huskies salvage a split with a 7-4 victory. The righthander kept the Raiders off the scoreboard for the first six innings but gave up a leadoff single in the seventh which eventually came around to score. He allowed a run on five hits, walked two, and struck out nine to improve to 2-0 on the season.

Bloomsburg took a 1-0 lead on an RBI single from Edgette in the bottom of the second as he drove home Swiger who had led off the inning with a bunt single.

Then, the Huskies erupted in the bottom of the third as Bloomsburg scored six runs on seven hits to take a 7-0 lead. Benson led off with a bunt single and then advanced to third on a double from senior Damin Muth (Breinigsville, Pa./Parkland). Amaike helped himself by plating both runners with a two-run single to give the Huskies a 3-0 advantage. Swiger followed with a single and then both runners advanced on a sacrifice bunt from freshman Blake Gular (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton). Krizan scored both Amaike and Swiger with a two-run single to give Bloomsburg a 5-0 lead. Cooperman followed with an RBI double for a 6-0 lead and then Edgette capped off the inning with a run-scoring single to end the barrage.

The Huskies would not score again and the Raiders would close the gap in the top of the seventh. Gladfelter led off the inning with a single to end Amaike's afternoon on the mound. Freshman Brett Alaimo (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) and his sparkling 0.93 ERA came on in relief, but he was greeted rudely as the Raiders cut into the lead. A hit batter and a walk loaded the bases for Dalton Hoiles who launched an 0-1 pitch from the rookie over the left field fence for a grand slam home run to cut the Huskies' lead to 7-4. Alaimo settled down and recorded the final three outs on two strikeouts and a weak grounder to first to end the ball game.

Bloomsburg had 11 hits in the second game - two each from Edgette, Muth, Swiger, and Cooperman.

Andy Crum fell to 0-2 for Shippensburg as he lasted two innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on seven hits. He walked two and struck out two.

The Huskies are scheduled to play home-and-home doubleheaders against East Stroudsburg University next Friday and Saturday, March 31 and April 1. The teams will play at Danny Litwhiler Field on Friday and then will head to East Stroudsburg on Saturday. Both twinbills are scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m.